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The VAR Q&ANavigating Partner Programs & Telecom Solutions

As convergence steadily pushes VARs into telecom services, partner programs can expect their offerings to generate more interest—and inquiries—from VARs. Partner programs have much to offer VARs, which benefit from growing their businesses and revenue by selling competitively priced data, Internet, voice, and networking solutions. And once a contract is signed, VARs essentially put their recurring revenue on cruise control: installation, billing, and direct customer service are handled by the partner program. When it comes to cableco partner programs and telecom solutions, these are the top questions VARs should consider:

1. Why would VARs add cableco telecom services to their portfolios?Convergence is the new status quo. VARs who add telecom services from cablecos to their portfolios best position themselves to take advantage of newly emerging opportunities. Here are a few reasons why VARs say they are adding cableco telecom services to their portfolios:

• To satisfy customer demand• To increase business by creating a new line of revenue• To offer more voice services• To offer add-ons for cloud services• Simply to remain competitive

2. Which services should VARs consider adopting?Many telecom services offered by cablecos make suitable and ideal complements for VARs’ existing product lines. According to a Channel Partners report, the top services that VARs have identified as being especially complementary are:

• Broadband• WAN services• IP/PBX• Wi-Fi• Video and audio services for conferencing and collaboration

3. Do telecom services really mesh well with the VAR portfolio?The simple answer is yes, they do. In a Channel Partners report from last year, 98 percent of IT VARs said they viewed telecom services in a positive light. In fact, 66 percent of IT VARs reported that they regard telecom services as essential items in their core portfolio.

4. Why partner with cablecos?Cablecos want VARs as partners. In fact, they have structured their partner programs to appeal specifically to the VAR community. For example, the Spectrum Business Partner Program offers partners the ability to sell any Spectrum Business solution—unlike other partner programs. Spectrum Business partners can sell cable TV services, Internet services like fiber-optic Internet, voice services like SIP trunking, and data networking services like Ethernet.

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The VAR Q&ANavigating Partner Programs & Telecom Solutions

5. What kind of support do partner programs offer VARs?Each partner program will offer a different level of support, but those in the Spectrum Business Partner Program receive comprehensive, robust support from onboarding to customer care. The following are all support features offered by the Spectrum Business Partner Program:

• Continued training and communication on product features and launches• Access to a breadth of tools and information to simplify sales• Concierge-level support for fiber and coax pricing, paperwork, serviceability, and order configurations• Dedicated customer relationship management before and after the sale• Expert collaboration on the proper solutions for each opportunity• Dedicated installation, billing, and direct customer care for those services

6. How are channel partners paid?In addition to earning residuals, partner programs, such as the Spectrum Business Partner Program, often offer additional incentives and compensation for reaching performance goals. The goal is prompt and accurate payments for all partners..

7. How do VARs find out about coax and fiber service in their target areas?To determine coax serviceability, partners can use an online serviceability locator provided by the Spectrum Business Partner Program. Fiber availability requires a simple phone call or email. All tools will allow VARs to determine serviceability, pricing, and installation time frames.

For more information about partnering with Spectrum Business, contact the Spectrum Business Partner Program today.