Guest post by Maurice Hofmann – Open-Xchange Marketing
It’s common practice in the world of SaaS (software-as-a-service) and cloud applications that the software supplier makes a licensing deal with a service provider (hosting company, telecom, etc.) after a handshake. Then, with a few warm words, the service provider is left on their own to make the business deal work out. The software supplier makes their money anyways. Not fair, but common.
As pioneers in SaaS and cloud applications, we understand that there is a better way to work with partners. In our business deals, typically Open-Xchange shares a stake to make the deal work out for mutual benefit of both parties.
That is the spirit and dedication behind the creation of a very important effort: the Go-to-Market (GTM) program. This series of tailored workshops helps our partners increase their speed-to-market and become even more relevant to their customers’ wishes and needs of our communication and collaboration software.
GTM was introduced to key partners during HostingCon in Boston this year. With this program, Open-Xchange takes a consultative approach that goes beyond technical readiness with customized marketing and sales consulting. Specifically, our GTM program can include on-site seminars, online webinars, as well as 1- or 2-day workshop sessions that touch all aspects of selling in Open-Xchange email and collaboration – such as upsell, pricing and packaging, call center operations, as well as digital marketing (website, email, social media).
After the workshops, service provider partners have a clear understanding of the benefits and Unique Selling Proposition (USP) for Open-Xchange, as well as how to implement the integrated upsell mechanics and create a user-friendly path for the partner’s customers to purchase.
We’ll pilot this program for the rest of this year and present a broader introduction during the Open-Xchange Summit in Berlin – just one more reason for you to join us there.