Channel Voices

AI won’t replace great partner managers, but it will reshape the work by automating the busywork and raising the bar on what partners expect. I focus on why judgement, trust, and context are still the real differentiators and how to use AI to spend more time on the parts of the job that drive revenue.• AI for partner management tasks like drafting emails, summarising notes, QBR prep and performance patterns • Why speed is not the same as impact in channel sales • Interpreting partner data with context behind deal registration shifts • Trust building over time and how over-automation can damage relationships • Reassigning time from admin to strategy, problem solving and opportunity creation • Partner managers as translators between vendor strategy, partner needs and internal teams • Skills to double down on such as empathy, commercial judgement and reading what is not said If you've got your thoughts on this, I'd love to hear them. Are you seeing AI free up your time in your partner partnership role? Or is it just adding another layer of noise?Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We unpack why channel economics are shifting and how that change is creating real friction between vendors and partners. We get practical about what actually drives partner behaviour, how partners protect profitability, and why simplifying programmes often beats adding more incentives. • Channel economics changing fast as buyer expectations shift and AI tokens emerge as a transaction currency • Vendor margin pressure driving scrutiny of channel investment and partner payouts • Discounting as a sales tool rather than partner margin • Partner profitability coming from value-added services in the channel Goldilocks zone • Channelnomic's ROCKER methodology to define the partner mission and diagnose program fit • Customer experience as a scalable growth lever through partners • Relationship with the partner manager and ease of doing business outranking incentives • Testing incentives to reduce leakage and prove outcomes • Program posture framed as playing offence versus playing defence • AI automation risks when it replaces human relationship work Channelnomics - https://www.channelnomics.com/Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We talk with Pablo Hanono about how partner programs move from metal tiers to value motions, and why modern partner ecosystems need clearer economics, better data, and stronger infrastructure. We also unpack how AI shifts partnership work away from manual execution and towards judgement, analysis, and trust-based relationships. • Building a global partnerships career from Buenos Aires • Turning Books of the Channel into a learning hub and course • Moving beyond silver and gold tiers towards value motions • Specialising partners based on customer needs and outcomes • Designing for lifecycle value across co-sell, delivery, adoption and renewals • Using AI to remove admin friction and speed up program work • Doubling down on analytical thinking to focus on the right partners • Investing in PRM, incentives tooling and strong partner operations teams • Embedding partner economics into programme design from day one • Asking whether partners will accept agents over real people Check out he course, 'Partner Ecosystems Fundamentals' - https://booksofthechannel.com/courseRead Pablo's article, 'The Partnerships Professional Role in the Age of AI: From Execution to Judgment' - https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/partnerships-professional-role-age-ai-from-execution-judgment-hanono-0wlkfBooks of the Channel on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/books-of-the-channel/Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We pull back the curtain on partner operations and show how clean data, clear processes, and the right tools turn channel strategy into outcomes. From onboarding to MDF and deal reg, we share practical steps to reduce friction and make results measurable.• Defining the role of partner operations in channel programmes• Why fragmentation across teams caps growth• What good looks like for onboarding, deal reg, and MDF• Treating partner data as a product with shared definitions• Designing processes with clear criteria and SLAs• Choosing a small, well‑integrated tooling stack• Practical starting points to fix friction• Giving ops a strategic seat and shipping visible winsI’d love to hear your story: If you’ve seen a small ops change unlock big results, or you’re wrestling with a process that feels completely broken, send it my way.Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We explore how generative AI changes channel strategy when treated as an operating model shift rather than an IT upgrade. Justin Trombold shares practical ways to reduce risk, improve cross-functional execution, and turn partner sprawl into a coordinated advantage.• Defining first principles for partner ecosystems• Layering orchestration to manage data, quality and risk• Shifting mindset from tools to operating model change• Finding and fixing cross-functional bottlenecks• Focusing GenAI on decision support in known workflows• Five pillars of AI readiness and the biggest bottleneck• Leadership behaviours that scale beyond pilots• Lessons from successful and failed co-sell motionsJustin is the President and Founder of AnteSyn Advisors, a consulting firms that helps leadership teams overcome generative AI frustration to quickly design and execute a value-creating generative AI strategy with our goal to make our services obsolete.Learn more about their research into the main drivers of Enterprise Generative AI Readiness and how you can think about creating value through GenAI today and tomorrow: https://www.antesynadvisors.com/post/generative-ai-readiness-1Start your own value-creating GenAI Journey with our "rapid" diagnostic here: https://www.antesynadvisors.com/blank-3Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We unpack how to make co-selling irresistible to sellers using specialised partners, scarcity-led door openers, and playbooks that slot into daily workflows. Alex Buckles shares tactics for ISVs, SIs, and platforms, plus smarter recruiting, incentives, and a sane way to use AI.• Why sellers ignore partner intros and how to fix it• Building co-sell playbooks from executive priorities• Crafting a door opener with clear monetary value• When exclusivity and specialisation create loyalty• Keeping AEs and CSMs engaged with useful touches• ISV path via SIs and delivery play embedding• Horizontal expansion plays across many partners• Rethinking partner sourced vs influenced rewards• Practical partner recruitment using LinkedIn sequencing• Manual-first process, then targeted AI automationChannel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We unpack how to design partner tiers that reward real capability, align MDF with specialisations, and give partners a transparent ladder to grow. Clear criteria, meaningful benefits, and ongoing iteration turn tiers from labels into a strategy tool.• When tiers are useful and when to skip them• Examples of three to four level models across vendors• Shift from volume-only to balanced scorecards• Criteria that mix revenue, growth and capabilities• Benefits that ladder meaningfully at each step• Linking MDF to tiers and specialisations• A practical playbook to design or refresh tiers• How to iterate using data and partner feedbackIf you've recently overhauled your tier model or decided to ditch tiers entirely, I'd love to hear what you learned and what surprised youChannel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We show how linking MDF to partner tiers and specialisations turns a blunt perk into a strategic lever for capability and pipeline. Clear ladders, maturity-based activities, and simple operations make funds work harder and prove ROI across segments.• Shifting from volume-only MDF to capability and outcomes • Segmenting partners into strategic, growth and long tail • Mapping MDF tracks to competencies like cloud and security • Matching activities to partner maturity for higher impact • Creating clear tier requirements and transparent benefits • Simplifying execution with PRM automation and guardrails • Piloting in one region and benchmarking ROI • Using data to refine tiers, activities and investmentThere’s still time to register for the Channel Scalar Live webinar taking place today, January 27th at 8 a.m. PST | 11 AM EST | 4pm GMT. Registration link: https://hubs.ly/Q03-l_pt0Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We break down accrual, proposal-based, fixed, activity-based, and hybrid MDF models, then map each to vendor maturity, and growth goals. The result is a simple path from starter funds to a hybrid mix that drives utilisation, focus, and measurable ROI.• Core MDF models and what they suit• Pros and cons of accrual and proposal-based• When fixed allocations help activation• Activity-based menus that drive outcomes• How hybrids balance reward and growth• Aligning MDF to partner landscape• Operational maturity and tooling needs• Start small, measure, and evolve• Questions to test fit and ROIJoin our friends at Channelscaler and a panel of channel marketing pros on January 27th to see how AI is used to make MDF far less painful. Registration link: https://hubs.ly/Q03-l_pt0Channel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋

We cut through MDF confusion and show how to prove ROI with clear targets, clean attribution, and partner enablement. The conversation moves from spend reporting to outcome-based funding that ties every Dollar and Euro to pipeline and revenue.• Why MDF measurement is hard and why it matters• Shift from discretionary spend to outcome-based models• The four-step loop from spend to revenue proof• Concrete ROI example with pipeline and payback• Fixing data plumbing and platform integrations• Solving partner capacity with concierge plays• Hybrid earned and proposal-based funding structures• Setting benchmarks and reallocating toward winners• Using transparent dashboards to coach partners• Three-part framework of strategy, instrumentation and collaborationHere, you can register for the upcoming Channelscaler Live Webinar -  Frictionless MDF: The AI Playbook for High-Velocity Channel GrowthChannel Voices is currently sponsored by Meter (https://www.meter.com/channelvoices). To stay up to date follow us on LinkedIn.Subscribe to Channel Voices Scope, a monthly LinkedIn newsletter where we provide you with additional information accompanying the podcast. We hope you find this newsletter informative and useful for your career and organisation.Visit www.ChannelVoices.comUntil next time 👋