Indeed, the importance of AI competency can’t be overstated. “Buyers aren’t just looking for access to technology; they’re seeking strategic advisors who can guide them through AI adoption, implementation and impact,” said the Telarus report. For example, 96 percent of mid-market firms are open to support from a new advisor, while three quarters said they were most interested in meeting a new advisor for help with AI. “Buyers are ready,” said Foster. “The question is, are you ready?” Not that anyone can blame advisors for being a bit intimidated. Few technology areas in the history of the networks services channel, including VoIP and broadband access, have been as disruptive or moved as rapidly as AI and automation. The good news is, advisors don’t need to get a Ph.D. in machine learning to play in the AI space. A common piece of advice is that it’s okay to start small. That can mean putting parameters around on what an agency needs to be an expert on, focusing on a subset of AI or the AI being used only within one core category of services that a firm already represents. “We’ve seen advisors win big (with AI deals) just by being the first one there to have that conversation,” said Josh Lupresto, senior vice president of sales engineering at Telarus, “because customer need help and they don’t know where to lean.” Advisors also can start with systems and parts of a business in which “it’s okay to be a little wrong,” many experts suggest. While that may be within verticals such as healthcare or financial services, there are usually places within most businesses that are not mission critical where AI-enabled solutions can have a positive impact. “Organizations don’t need massive rollouts to generate meaningful insights,” said analysts at McKinsey, in its report on how to accelerate AI adoption. “Some of the most valuable organizational experiments involve five to ten people over two to four weeks.” Dog Eat Dog Food Perhaps even before starting any conversations, many of the presenters at the Telarus partner summit suggested advisors heed the old axiom regarding “eating your own dog food.” In this instance, however, they don’t necessarily mean a provider using the AI solutions that it provides customers. Rather, they suggested agencies and advisors use any AI technologies within their internal operations and process. That could include tools such Nearly Half of Advisors Don’t Feel Prepared to Sell AI Not at all prepared – I avoid selling AI solutions 14% Not very prepared – I struggle to communicate AI’s value to clients 22% Somewhat prepared – I understand the basics but need more support 41% Very prepared – I have deep knowledge and expertise 13% Source: Telarus One in Three Advisors Aren’t Discussing AI with Clients (In what ways is AI integrated into your sales process? Select all that apply) Offering AI solutions for specific use cases and applications 33% I am not discussing AI with customers or offering AI solutions at this time 32% Using AI discussions to attract prospects and initiate conversations 29% Selling AI-enabled solutions (positioning AI as a feature or enabling technology) 25% Providing consultations on AI readiness (including data readiness and governess) 20% Other 5% Source: Telarus Biggest Challenges for Partners in 2025 Source: Futurum Research, channel decision maker surveys 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Percentage of Attack Source: ConnectWise Best Way Vendors Can Support Your Business, % Share of Repondents Source: Futurum Research, channel decision maker surveys 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Internal AI Use Strongly Correlates with Advisor Confidence in Selling AI How prepared do you feel to sell AI-powered technology solutions? How is your technology advisory business currently using AI? Source: Telarus Very prepared - I have deep knowledge and expertise Somewhat prepared - I understand the basics but need more support Not very prepared - I struggle to communicate AI’s value to clients Not at all prepared - I avoid selling AI solutions Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 A challenging economy Highly competitive ecosystem Rising costs impacting our profits IT budgets under pressure Inability to find highly skilled talent Complex regulatory environment Supply chain challenges Limited funding/financing to support growth Lack of support from technology (vendor) partners Lack of competitiveness within our portfolio 17% 14% 17% 17% 15% 14% 8% 7% 7% 5% 8% 5% 5% 8% 13% 4% 7% 10% 9% 7% 9% 10% 5% 6% 12% 13% 15% 9% 14% 10% Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3 Developer tools Best-in-class technical support Training programs Early access and roadmap visibility Lead generation Co-sell support Dedicated account management Modern portals and tools Marketing resources Attractive commercial terms 14% 7% 9% 13% 13% 14% 12% 8% 9% 10% 8% 8% 10% 17% 15% 9% 7% 10% 9% 8% 7% 9% 12% 12% 8% 8% 9% 7% 10% 9% Using AI for Internal operations Using AI for marketing and sales Offering AI-embedded solutions to customers Exploring AI solutions but have not yet implemented them Running AI Pilot programs 21% 20% 29% 10% 24% 57% 58% 58% 51% 49% 20% 20% 13% 34% 22% 3% 2% 0% 5% 5% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 40% 2019 2020 51% 14 CHANNELVISION | SUMMER 2025
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