Channel players may be using the term ‘partnership’ too loosely.
Many channel vendors’ priorities focus more on the deal than what’s best for the channel partner or customer, according to Mark Moretti, VP of data and security at MSP NWN Carousel.
“That word ‘partnership’ gets used too casually, and people don’t necessarily honor what it really means to be a partner,” he told Channelnomics.
His comments were made during Fortinet’s Accelerate 18 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada this week. When asked what stood out to him most from the show, Moretti said he puts a lot of value on a vendor’s culture.
“Independent of what it is that is represented in the way of technology for these different manufacturers, I’m more interested in the culture and the people,” he said, praising Fortinet execs he met with during the show.
He said key is that vendors don’t try to force technology down partners’ throats, but instead look to make sure they’re representing the best and most fitting technology for a specific organization.
Partnerships work both ways, however, and Moretti pointed to need for resellers to be true partners to vendors and the customer as well.