Remote, dispersed workforces have become the norm following the COVID-19 pandemic, with many employees and employers not wanting to go back to the previous status quo. This was already a trend with globalization and an evolving marketplace, but world events just sped up the process. Now, instead of private data networks, the internet and Cloud have taken center stage in empowering organizations.
At the 2022 Sandler Partners National Summit, SD-WAN the Gateway to Opportunity session, I welcomed Rudy Villasenor, Channel Manager for Bigleaf Networks; Brad Gruber, Client Development Manger at Granite; Ben Bohman, Director, Solutions Engineering with Comcast Business/Masergy; and Joe Rhem, CEO/Founder of WiredIQ, to the mainstage to explore SD-WAN and how Partners can leverage technology to solve more of their customers’ business problems, increase their level of engagement, and potentially realize greater revenue. SD-WAN is a foundational discussion to have with your customers. With it, you can “land” and “expand” the conversation, and “land” and “expand” your sale!
To have some fun and illustrate just how reliant organizations are on their Cloud solutions, we created the fictional “Sandler Fitness” gym/rehab national chain to build a case study, role-play through the discovery process, highlight the questions to ask, and review how to listen to the answers to gain a deep understanding of the needs of this client. The customer here may be fictional, but the conversation is very real and illuminating.
From technical questions about circuits, IT approaches, and Security to daily operations discussions about applications used, business objectives, and placement on the competitive landscape, the discussion is very similar to the conversation you should, or could, be having with your customers. Don’t feel overwhelmed. As the point person, you act just like a general contractor, this time building the IT house. A building contractor coordinates the roofers, plumbers, electricians, masons, and painters — they may have strength in areas, but the greatest strength is to know what experts are needed. With the Sandler Partners Support team, like our Sales Engineers and our ecosystem of Suppliers, you have all the expertise and resources you could possibly need.
I then took each panelist through the scenario of “Sandler Fitness” and reviewed the pain points and strengths that their solutions could solve or even strengthen. This showed the differences, both subtle and vivid, that one solution Provider’s approach can deliver vs. another. For example, some can incorporate legacy elements, while others truly stand alone. These solutions simplify the overall system/network, potentially provide increased visibility and manageability, and reduce the number of invoices received each month.
The delight is in the details; sit in on this session to hear all the thought processes, see the executions, and increase your understanding. As a Sandler Partner, SD-WAN really can be your gateway to opportunity. As always, the Sales Engineering team will help support you. Let’s start by having you join us and watch this program.
Author:
