Serving the needs of SMEs starts with vendors delivering partner success programs

Having access to the right technology is a driving force that can make the difference between success and failure for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) today. They must keep pace with digital transformation, cybersecurity threats, remote work, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI). All this creates immense pressure to constantly evolve their infrastructure and business models.

The biggest mistake that vendors and integrators can make, however, is to assume that the right technology for large companies will work for SMEs, just on a smaller scale. Disparities in resources, business goals, and organizational structure inevitably lead to implementation and operational challenges, such as longer lead times, heavier resource demands, and prohibitive licensing costs.

For many SMEs, productivity is hampered by outdated infrastructure that is often pushed to capacity by ever-increasing user loads and unwavering uptime demands.

Because SMEs often lack the internal resources to deploy and support complicated, labor-intensive networking solutions, they are reliant on integrators and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) to install, maintain, and service networks.

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This equates to a strong demand for solutions that are reliable, scalable, easy to deploy, and great value for money. Unfortunately, many integrators struggle to find the right fit, let alone a channel strategy that will support this segment of the business market.

Equip partners with more than just tools and support

Integrators and MSPs continue to play an essential role in the networking space, but this doesn’t mean they have always been provided with the necessary tools and support to make them successful. Serving SME needs can make them susceptible to high ongoing operational costs and continued demands for technical support, which easily absorb the slender margins available.

If vendors truly value their MSPs, they need to reevaluate their partner programs and ensure they are fit-for-purpose for the SME market and the partners that service it. ‘Partnership’ is the operative word. This, of course, means equipping them with streamlined tools, training, and enhanced technical resources.

There’s more to it than that,t though. These things take time. Netgear’s own Drive partner success program, for example, was a whole year in the making. Our MSPs provide customers with the solution they need at the right price point, with comprehensive support at every stage, fully backed by us. The really important element here is to ensure the customer experience remains front and center.

Given that SMEs currently make up 90% of all businesses globally, providing more than 50% of jobs worldwide and contributing up to 40% of national income in emerging economies, integrators and MSPs must really stand out in a highly competitive market.

How do they do that? By aligning more closely with customer needs and delivering exceptional value and expertise. This is only possible with committed, collaborative support from vendors.

But there’s another benefit to aligning partner programs with SME needs, which is the value that vendors gain in return. Partners possess deep insight into the challenges SMEs face and the technology and support they require to meet their goals. When partnerships are truly collaborative, those insights can flow more effectively back to vendors, informing their planning and strategic direction.

Building for SME needs

Vendors can do more by providing solutions designed for SMEs that are the right fit for their market, and that can be easily managed using a unified multi-site/multi-tenant, cloud-based platform. This helps maximize partner margins and helps to limit the need for repeated visits by MSPs or hours spent delivering technical support.

Providing the right stack for the SME market means filling in gaps in IT or security knowledge, along with specifying the right tools, roles that in larger enterprises would be met by dedicated technical departments. It’s why there is a growth market for smaller manufacturers and MSPs to work together, delivering end-to-end services of which networking is a key component.

Vendors serving SMEs today can’t just focus on segmented, fragmented solutions. Instead, they need to deliver enterprise-grade, reliable, fit-for-purpose technology that is quick to onboard and easy to troubleshoot. Simplicity is the key to success in this growing, changing market.

Partners at the center

For vendors, the SME market is rich with opportunity – but capturing it means building a strong partner ecosystem. One where partners lean in and lead with a specific vendor because the solutions are the right fit, but also because they are confident that the vendor is with them, supporting them every step of the way.

Alongside networking solutions tailored to the specific needs of SMEs, vendors must do more to empower partners and drive mutual value.

Changing the emphasis from selling to delivering value at the right price is a new approach, but it will forge a relationship that benefits both the vendor and the partner. Ultimately, it will deliver a better service to the SME customer.