The MDF Dilema and what to do

An article was recenlty written by Rob Wright from Var Business. Strangely enough, Marek development funds (MDF) rules are detailed and complext to understand. This poses a problem for small businesses as they need to understand under what conditions they can request funds. If they don't understand the how and why of the MDF world then they won't ask for funds.

"Yet many VARs have found themselves
in an unfortunate rut when it comes to MDFs, paralyzed by their frustration with
vendors or unable to collect because they have run afoul of austere policies and
uncooperative channel officials"

The stringent rules resulting in frustrated channel partners is due to the high number of fraudulent claims that have been submitted over the years. The article identifies the problems and even quantifies it very well. I urge all channel partner s when faced with a stringent MDF program. Pick up the phone, call your account manager, ask some questions about the program and find out if a marketing plan listeing all sales and marketing activities will help you get more funds and get more funds paid quicker. Here is a link to the article.

http://channelweb.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=18842115&pub=var&_requestid=558690

A second article by the same author summarizing his thoughts and industry trends.

http://channelweb.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=18841032&pub=var

For details on marketing planning and what a channel account manager would expect to see to get funds approved and paid with claims or with short pays from invoices check out the following link that I wrote a few weeks back.

http://resellercentral.blogspot.com/2004_05_01_resellercentral_archive.html

Reseller Central