MSFT Announces Real Time Analytics Tools

Later this year, MSFT will launch the Maestro. A large integrator writes: "As I understand it, it will take advantage of those pieces to let users create executive dashboards tapping into Siebel or PeopleSoft or SAP data..." This is a fairly significant move in the enterprise software space and companies like SAP and Oracle should be concerned. Users will naturally gravitate to an analytical tool that is integrated with MS Outlook. For full details here is a link to the article:

http://www.bizintelligencepipeline.com/159907104

Amazon Consulting writes about the role of the channel executive

http://amazonconsulting.blogspot.com/2004/08/why-alliances-in-c-suite.html

Program Compliance and the Partner Community

Companies today struggle with concepts like new partner registration, partner recruitment, partner requirements, partner benefits, and contract compliance. Contract compliance has a number of implications:
1. Access to pricing
2. Accss to special programs (lead generation programs, referals, MDF, deal registration, etc)
3. Access to ordering
4. And more....

How do companies manage their partner community compliance issues? How are these program guidelines enforced? There is really not much software on the market today that can solve this issue. Oracle Corporation has an offering that allows for some program compliance. If you take a look at the web site http://www.oracle.com/applications/crm/partners_online.html, you really won't find any mention of it. There is a feature called Program Management. This feature allows for the management and entitlement of special pricing, MDF funds, referrals, deal registration, and qualified opportunities. The software is intended to drive compliance of partners. Imagine you set up a program that says the only way you are going to get qualified opportunities or access to request MDF funds is if you're sales hit a certain target. That is the intent. Compliance can be made easy with the right solution and the right mapping to key business issues.

Another organization that talks about partner compliance is ChannelSuite. They have an FAQ and a solution that addresses this need. They write: Stop running your Co-op or MDF program on spreadsheets and realize a substantial increase in partner participation! Not only will channelFUNDS™ enable you to establish an online process for partner submittals, vendor approvals, and fund management; channelFUNDS™ will enable you to establish accountability for ALL marketing funds allocated to partners! For the reference to partner compliance click here and read: http://www.channelsuite.com/FAQ/#12

Finally, a third company that can support channel partner compliance is Brandimensions. They offer a brand protection tool to ensure partners are in compliance of program and branding guidelines. http://www.brandimensions.com/brand_protection.asp

POS is the holy grail

In the high technology industry, companies like Seagate, Logitech, Western Digital and Cisco are increasingly looking for new ways to forecast, compensate partners, track inventories and drive business. While point of sale data has always been critical, these companies are investing millions to capture POS and use it. They are cleansing the data and integrating it with their CRM and PRM business initiatives. Well at least they are thinking about it. The POS data is still a black hole only being addressed by a number of companies in the market. Oracle's solutions is not complete and SAP's is not up to par. Computer Market Research has the data and the relationships. Check out CMR at www.computermarketresearch.com.