Impartner has announced a “channel-first” interface that gives channel managers a synthesized, personalized view of their individual region, eliminating the need to search through an ocean of data to find action items for their geography.
The interface comes as part of the company’s Spring ’17 release, also features a number of other enhancements specifically focused on increasing partner engagement and accelerating indirect sales, including an interactive event calendar. Customers also can deploy a PRM solution with or without a CRM.
“Impartner’s new interface is built from the ground up to be channel-first in the information it displays to truly give channel managers the specific information, the knobs, dials and levers they are looking for to manage a particular geography or segment,” said Gary Sabin, Impartner senior director of product management.
A key add for this release, which goes live in April, is the ability to assign deals to multiple contacts within partner accounts, a capability lacking in traditional single-tier CRMs.
“CRMs are critical tools, but ultimately, they weren’t designed to track the multi-level touches most deals go through when they’re working their way through the channel,” Sabin said. “While some customers may prefer to continue to use the reporting tools and workflows within their CRM, our expectation is that over time many of our customers will embrace the value of this channel-first approach, a philosophy that helps eliminate the complexities of managing multiple touchpoints through the channel.”
“There are a number of things about a company’s channel that are unique with respect to its direct model,” added Tim Harmon, managing director at Nuvello, a channel research and consulting firm, “and touchpoint complexity is one of them. While most sales teams know the reporting interface of their CRM, ultimately they want a single distilled workspace that gels direct and channel together. That focus and channel-first approach will enable them to optimize their customers’ experience and outrun their competitors.”
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