Nationwide master agency PlanetOne Communications has expanded its channel team further to continue to support its growth efforts and sales partners’ initiatives to make the most of its product portfolio. Robin Eiler has been appointed to the new position of partner services manager, while DeAnna Wenson has been brought on board as the company’s first partner success manager. Both are based in PlanetOne’s Scottsdale office.
PlanetOne president Lauren Shapiro explained that the new positions were created to provide the agency’s sales partners with a broader array of support services, kick-starting their sales efforts as they go after larger enterprises and other business segments.
“We are ramping up our investment in our partners’ growth, and we know that supporting their business needs through more efficient processes, information-sharing, dedicated support in crafting innovative solution sets and providing marketing and sales development resources are all central to that,” she said. “Robin and DeAnna are veterans of the carrier world with deep experience in the channel, and both bring great energy and support for partners in their respective roles.”
Eiler brings 28 years of experience to PlanetOne, with a long career at AT&T—the last four years of which she spent working for the indirect channel. As partner services manager, her primary task will be as a vendor marketing liaison, bringing together everything that sales partners may need from PlanetOne carriers to do their job more effectively. This includes collecting sales collateral, providing contacts, overseeing Webinars and training and collecting other helpful information, and then making it available at a single point of contact that any PlanetOne partner can access, regardless of individual carrier portal accessibility. She also will leverage her extensive knowledge of the PlanetOne commissioning tool to streamline internal processes and simplify the back office from quote to provisioning for partners.
“I’m excited to be a part of an organization that continues to lead the industry forward in terms of growth and technology leadership,” Eiler said. “It’s incredible to see how the industry has grown and changed over the years, but it’s really exciting to now gain a viewpoint from within the channel itself, and really see the breadth and depth of innovation within the telecom landscape. There are only bigger and better things ahead for our partners and this industry.”
Meanwhile, Wenson comes to PlanetOne as partner success manager after spending nine years with XO Communications, including with the channel business since 2009 and as channel manager since 2011. She began her career with Allegiance Telecom (bought by XO in 2005) and continued with XO in various back-office roles. Starting off in the Detroit market, she moved to the Phoenix area in 2007 and continued with the company.
Wenson is primarily tasked with helping partners create tailored solutions and proposals for their customers. She will also be responsible for working with agents and VARs to educate them on PlanetOne’s Telecom Partner Toolbox (www.planetonetelecomtoolbox.com), which was recently launched to give partners go-to-market, customizable resources to bring value to their customers as they introduce new technology solutions.
Wenson will also be key to executing a strategic directive to help PlanetOne partners reach deeper into their customers’ wallets and win more business with new technologies. She will support Jonathan Hartman, vice president of sales, and Ross Thompson, channel manager, as they lead those efforts.
“I am so excited to support Jonathan and Ross by being on the front lines, helping partners tailor the best solution for their clients from an array of customizable options, carriers and next-generation technology,” Wenson said. “The Toolbox is an important aspect of this, because it means that partners don’t have to create sales materials themselves, or gather information from each carrier. We’re providing them with the materials to more efficiently get in front of their customers and educate them on the benefits of the next generation of telecom offerings.”
