Changing The Channel With On-Demand Connectivity

Channel partners can use on-demand connectivity platforms to expand their network service capabilities and rapidly respond to customers’ needs on a global scale

By Paul Verhoeven, GM Americas, Epsilon

On-demand connectivity platforms are changing the existing channel model and presenting large opportunities for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Value Added Resellers (VARs) and System Integrators (SIs) around the world. Using these self-service models, channel partners can deliver complete solutions to their customers and in turn expand their roles in the channel ecosystem.

As innovation in the industry continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, enterprise customers are searching for simple solutions to rapidly deploy next-generation services throughout their organizations and product portfolios.

This increase in demand has provided channel partners with a chance to capture more potential through going beyond traditional network services. On-demand connectivity platforms provide partners with easy to deploy solutions allowing them to expand their service capabilities with the click-of-a-button.

On-demand connectivity is truly bringing further flexibility and adaptability to the channel model. When connectivity becomes like utility, channel partners can offer new and innovative services without any limits on how or when they turn up services.

Going Beyond Traditional Networking Models
With multiple drivers for change in the global networking market, expectations of enterprise customers have transcended the current traditional models available. Networking is now expected to mirror utility and go further than simple A to B connectivity.

Enterprises need infrastructure that enables them to provision global connectivity across the globe, optimise networks for specific applications, turn up multiple services on-demand, and monitor performance end-to-end.

To defeat the chances of becoming obsolete to enterprise customers, channel partners must transform their traditional service offering into one that is enabling the deployment of innovative services simply, agilely, and efficiently.

Partnering With Platform as a Service Providers
Partnering with Platform as a Service (PaaS) providers is great, and also a strategic way for channel partners to add new revenue streams to their business while also gaining streamlined access to different industry ecosystems around the world.

By adding on-demand connectivity to their service offering, channel partners gain the capabilities necessary to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty all through a single location. Partners can even white-label the platform as their own and sell it as a complete service wrap to their enterprise customers.

With pre-built relationships with network service providers, PaaS providers will have already created an integrated platform ready to support the needs of enterprise customers. They have done all the hard work. In best cases, the connectivity platform is built with a range of enablement services, Quality of Service monitoring, and SLA enforcement making it even simpler to manage enterprise experience.

This channel model exists so partners do not have to be experts in networking to sell on-demand connectivity. They can leverage their own brand and existing relationships while capturing new revenue with high margin services.

Powering Automated Platforms
When using an on-demand connectivity platform, procurement and management of global network infrastructure can be moved online. From anywhere in the world via a web-based portal global connectivity can be provisioned on-demand with new levels of agility. This automated approach to networking providers’ enterprise customers with the ability to meet their specific business needs through the rapid customization and scalability of their services.

Automated online platforms enable channel partners to provision network services with complete visibility, ease, and agility. The partner simply has to log online via a desktop or even via a smartphone and click-to-connect its customers. On-demand connectivity platforms are providing networking solutions with the flexibility to grow and scale.

Driving Profitability
Delivering on-demand connectivity can be a simple way for channel partners to drive profitability throughout their businesses. There are five unique ways partners can benefit from adding this to their service portfolio:

• Increased Speed-to-Market — On-demand connectivity platforms enable channel partners to deploy new applications and services within the marketplace faster and with greater efficiency. Faster performance will allow them to serve new enterprise demands quickly, while staying ahead of competitors in the same space.
• A Comprehensive Platform — Enterprises demand simplicity and, through providing one comprehensive on-demand connectivity platform channel partners, can connect Voice and Data Cloud service providers via a web-based portal or API from a single web-based portal or API. That means they can serve more of their customers’ needs and reduce customer churn rates.
• New Stickiness — If channel partners can meet all of their enterprise customers’ needs, these customers are less likely to churn. They can get everything they need from one-stop-shop and no longer have to manage multiple supplier relationships. By adding on-demand connectivity channel partners are able to play a critical role in their customers’ strategies and offer them complete solutions.
• Brand Building — Channel partners that choose white-label on-demand connectivity platforms can own the customer relationship and build brand value. They can brand the platform with their logo and color and give their customers another powerful tool for enabling connectivity services. This ensures the channel partner remains relevant in today’s market while building on their track record of success.
• New and Bigger Contracts — On-demand connectivity platforms enable channel partners to immediately differentiate their businesses from others. While providing customers with a single location for everything network related, they become providers of enterprise connectivity services globally. This position will enable them to compete for new larger contracts and can be a real provider of sustainable high-margin opportunities.

These are only some of the ways that on-demand connectivity can transform the channel model. With the right platform provider, on-demand platforms can be used by channel partners as a tool for servicing their customers’ connectivity platforms with an almost global scale.

Those that expand their service portfolio beyond traditional network services and delivery methods can become leading connectivity providers and give their customers complete set of future-proof solutions.