As this technology brand grew globally, it began shifting away from one-off sales of large, costly equipment to a recurring revenue model of subscription software and services. This change reflected a larger shift in the tech industry, in which customers sought software to manage cloud-based administration and needed experts to ensure they were getting the right products for their needs.
Equipping partner engineers with deep technical knowledge and future preparedness
Our client relies on channel partners around the globe whose engineers play a huge part in achieving go-to-market success. They needed the partner engineers to fully understand the business outcome of their products and services so they could better assess and fit the needs of customers. The way incentives were ran also needed to change. Our client’s current programs focused on activities associated with network assessments and sales revenue, and they offered limited reward options. This didn’t provide the training or motivation partner engineers needed to transition from large hardware purchases to subscription-based revenue software sales and acting as an expert for their customers.
Rewarding training created global product experts
Together, we created a training and certification program that combined their incentives and drove a unified mindset across all initiatives. The updated program now rewarded training achievements instead of sales, motivating participants to learn about the brand’s products and services and make expert recommendations. Amazing participation and ultimately revenue-impacting success flourished by allowing pooled points for more meaningful awards and using a flexible technology platform that housed all incentives and promotions in one place. The non-sales audience was motivated to engage with the new program through a mix of one-time travel experiences, localized merchandise awards for global participants and strong communications about the program.
The new platform also supported additional product promotions and two-way communication between channel teams and partner engineers, allowing them to upload and share their expertise for feedback and awards.
On-site recognition leads to sought-after status
Motivating participants isn’t just about extrinsic motivators; they’re eager for status and recognition among their peers. Adding a status element to our client’s program allowed partner engineers to be publicly recognized for their expertise and certification levels by their essential peer group at a live partner event.
A strategic partnership for an ever-changing tech market
For our client to continue to stay ahead of the market, they need to be both proactive and reactive. As their strategic partner, we support them to do both.
They can adjust fast when unexpected changes in the market happen. And ongoing reporting and analytics ensure they better understand the incentive programs and partners to develop promotions that steer the organization in the right direction.