- Because having a strong partner can make all the difference…
One of the most essential and popular sales models today is channel partnering. However, for the partnership between the company and the sales partner to be successful, there must be enough partner training at the outset.
In addition to the official channel patterns, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors are also part of the partner network, and you must also provide the necessary training to them.
The good news is there are many different ways to conduct training, including seminars at the company’s location, in-person classroom instruction, and virtual programs. Companies often use partner training platforms to train their partners per the current environment and trends.
While extremely useful for your organization and network, training your channel partners can present some difficulties. And in this piece, we’ll examine the challenges associated with channel partner training and how the #1 LMS for partner training may assist you. Let’s start.
Recognition Of The Importance Of Partner Training
Getting the organization to accept and appreciate the advantages partner training may provide is frequently the most challenging obstacle. The importance of product expertise to an organization’s sales strategy is well known. Still, the advantages of offering a training program to increase the efficiency of your partner channel are overlooked and frequently disregarded.
Solution:
It’s crucial to acknowledge the advantages partner training may offer to your partnership with sales. Partner training with the help of an LMS can empower your clients and partners with the product expertise, sales know-how, and toolbox they require to succeed. An LMS can help provide the necessary data and statistics that highlight the importance of partner training. These reports can be a basis for the management to tilt support in favor of partner training.
Engagement And Interaction With Channel Partners
Getting organizational acknowledgment for partner training is just the beginning. Partner involvement is the next significant issue after your program has begun. Even with the best platform, customer support, and training, if there is a shortage of partner engagement, it will fail rather quickly.
Solution:
The LMS and your sales or partner engagement team are the most excellent candidates to address this issue because they have the most intimate knowledge of your company’s partners. An LMS lets you have a quick and effortless conversation with your partners. These group discussions with your partners enable you to determine what knowledge would benefit them, the type of training they require, and how they would like to take it. This way, you can tailor your training to suit the tastes and needs of your partners.
Funding
It’s normal and fair to decide whether your program will include different training methods like classroom training, VR training, an LMS platform, etc. However, finding funding is a difficult task.
The budgets for training are typically under the authority of human resource departments, but they are unlikely to be willing to spend that money on outside partners. There aren’t many options because sales teams are reluctant to disclose their budgets, and it’s challenging to convince top management to approve a new budgetary allocation.
Solution:
Many business owners believe partner training is masked or drowned out by standard HR learning and development programs. One cannot emphasize the need for a specific partner training curriculum enough.
With LMS, the budget for partner training should not be an issue. The installment and maintenance cost of training provided by LMS is significantly less than other methods. The additional cost of traveling and accommodation of instructors is negligible. Thus, making it a cost-effective solution.
Resource
Finding the internal resources necessary to implement, oversee, and manage a training program might be difficult. This task is something no organization should take lightly. Employing a particular team entails costs and could be perceived as an extra inconvenience. Even if a learning and development team is already in place, the team might not have the expertise, resources, or experience to manage such a training program, given the difficulties of providing support for external clients. Additionally, learners require help, particularly for external partner training, because individuals may reside anywhere in the world.
Solution:
With the help of an LMS, you can outsource the management and support functions. The LMS can provide expertise regarding the goods and services with a relevant and well-planned training program. You may save time and money as an LMS helps ensure that your program is conducted by specialists with experience in the training domain. These professionals have the knowledge and expertise to administer and manage the training program efficiently.
Lack Of Proper Trainers
Organizations with only one devoted instructor risk having just one gatekeeper to knowledge. The problem emerges when this person retires or quits the company and leaves the company without anyone else who is familiar with those goods or services.
Solution:
The good news is that you can solve this issue quickly by using a blended strategy. Starting with a blended learning approach will help your partners adjust since it’s doubtful that you’ll convert 100% of your instructor-led classroom training to an online curriculum in one go (or ever). You can incorporate instructor-led lecture hall activities after completing a fundamental eLearning course. Add assessments and additional training after covering the basics.
This strategy can help your program grow and reach partners who might not otherwise be able to attend due to distance or financial constraints. If you decide to move toward an online-led strategy, you can do it gradually over time. An LMS makes this transition easy. An LMS is your best choice for the flawless execution of such a strategy.
Conclusion
With a partner training LMS, the company gets the flexibility to develop planned courses with an end date and self-paced courses with no end date, including live classes. You will be capable of sharing technical modules and soft skill training through the LMS, which will help your partner learn the abilities you believe they need to accomplish their duties well.
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