KISS Your VARs…Keep It Simple Stupid

The KISS Principle dates back to the early 1960s and the US Navy’s design principle that unnecessary complexity should be avoided. Throughout the years, the principle has become more universal and spans multiple industries and functional use cases. In the world of selling software through resellers, KISS is profoundly applicable and can mean the difference between an attractive and successful indirect channel program, and one that woefully underperforms.

Core attributes of a technology’s appeal for resellers will always be a compelling value proposition and margin opportunity, but overall partner program elements and support can be important differentiators—especially if kept simple! Features such as pricing calculators, opportunity registration, automated order processing, and MDF eligibility are fundamental to a contemporary partner program, but all of these must be implemented with a simplified structure. With the thousands of technology offerings and products available for resale, vendors can never be too careful to ensure that they make it easy for a VAR to sell their technology, versus a competing solution.

Complex programs will often keep a VAR from putting in the effort to bring on a new manufacturer. New vendors typically are time-crunched to make a splash in the market, driven by budgets, opportunity windows, investors, and the like. So, the right VAR strategy and program can accelerate business plans and leverage lean budgets, resulting in superior execution, even against much larger competitors. But again, flexibility and simplicity are crucial attributes for this success, as opposed to mandated and complicated VAR program processes. While there can be real value in spelling out program details, it must be done in a push-button workflow manner.

As sales increase and a partner program grow, more policies and guidelines can be implemented, but even these must be clear and concise. And all program attributes must be easily available on the web, with navigational clarity and simple formatting. Additionally, with growth, program equality and channel conflict management become an ever-increasing component of the KISS principle and implementation. A level and transparent playing field for all classes and types of partners must be maintained for long-term prosperity in the channel.

At Covax Data, we pride ourselves on bringing decades of experience in successful indirect channel growth and management. We also bring partners an opportunity to be first movers in the market with the most compelling cybersecurity solution in years, Covax Data’s Polymer. We make it simple and easy for VARs to add Polymer to their current offerings, and we understand the need to align our technology with current business and customers. Polymer has been built to seamlessly fill technology gaps in the security stack and add immediate value through its hallmark features and functions.

At Covax Data, the KISS principle resounds, to ensure that vendor/partner opportunities are completely aligned to achieve years of mutual rewards.

Originally Posted On: August 25, 2020