TechData and SAS on the importance of the vendor-distributor relationship

Communication is key between the two companies.

The IT vendor distributor relationship is kept alive not only through financial transactions but constant communication and collaboration.

Several leaders at SAS and TechData spoke to CRN Australia about their ongoing relationship and the importance of communication between the two entities.

Andrew Corner, business manager ANZ, TechData said it is “hugely important” to have collaboration, communication and engagement.

“Andrew [Bailey] and I are speaking on a regular basis. We're making sure that we're talking to our partners on a regular basis. We're making sure that those partners have the right enablement and capabilities in place,” he explained.

Corner highlighted the importance of constant communication.

“it’s very important that we communicate and collaborate on a regular basis, and that's paying dividends now, and will certainly pay dividends in the future as we scale out the business and grow it in terms of revenue and opportunity,” he said.

Andrew Bailey, head and channel partners & distribution ANZ at SAS said there's different things that all parties add to the relationship.

“From our perspective, the distribution to support the overall channel partners is huge and adds tremendous value,” he said.

“As well as the trio approach of working together towards planning our goals and our customers goals.”

TechData and SAS partnership

SAS and TechData have been working together for the past 18 months, and are continuing to build it out.

According to Bailey at SAS, they have a focus on creating a high performing ecosystem with TechData.

“We're taking a very joint, consolidated approach of what we're doing,” he explained.

According to Corner, both SAS and TechData are looking at other partners within other industry sets that they want to build out and grow.

“We have the right programs in terms of destination AI, as an example, to support that growth and building out a data an AI practice,” he said.

“It's hugely important that we have an approach that we deploy globally, as a global organisation, with the SAS engagement, but also very much at a local level as well.”

In ANZ, Bailey said SAS works in the FSI and government sectors, but through its partnership with TechData, it wants to reach other industries and doing so with a handful of select partners.

“From our side of things, we're looking to scale together and kind of get those industry experts. Our strategy is not to go for an expansive number of partners,” Bailey said.

“We're going specific partners, specific industries. We’ve been very focused in our approach.”

Corner at TechData said their aim is to grow the current partners they have and scaling out their business, as well as identifying net new partner growth.

“Bailey and I are in regular discussions about where within the industry sectors we want to focus, what are the sectors that we want to grow and identify net new partners.

“With TechData's expansive partner base, we can potentially bring new partners to the fore to help build out that strategy. But again, we're supporting that, that selective industry approach with the SAS team.”

Bailey at SAS noted they’ve already seen growth in certain sectors like life sciences, health and other financial markets.

“While we're predominantly an FSI that I said before, but we're starting to see really good growth in the second tier financial services market as well,” he said.

“Especially with a lot of regulatory compliance that's coming out at the moment and governance. We're starting to see some growth, especially with our channel partners and TechData which is good to see.”

Other industries they’re eyeing off include mining, retail and manufacturing.

“We've taken on a new partnership through Tech Data in the mining sector. Globally, we've got user cases there that we're working with our partners and also workshopping with their customers.”

Benefits of selected partners

Bailey highlighted that they’re taking a strategic approach with these industries through their select partners.

“We're taking a very much a consulting approach with our partners, and a lot of them are ingrained already to the customers as well, which have a lot of benefits to it,” he said.

“Of course, they're already have relationships within certain customers. It gives us speed to market, it helps us with procurement, there is a lot of benefits to that collaboration with partners.”

Those partners get access to SAS’s tools and platforms.

“Then we've got to support that we've got the TechData team enabling the partners, supporting the relationships, and driving that growth. It's a good trio of working together so far that we're seeing.”

Robbie Upcroft, VP and Country General Manager ANZ at TechData explained the importance of having a smaller pool of partners.

“Choosing to focus on a smaller number of engaged partners, we're enjoying what we're seeing, because they absolutely understand the value driving focus,” he said.

“We have to earn the right every day, as all vendors do, to engage with the partners, and they've got to make a decision as to which vendors and distributors they want to work with.

Upcroft noted they are already seeing some great engagements with partners who see the opportunity to go deep into a particular industry vertical.

“Particularly as SAS continues to pivot from a direct to a partner focused model, they're engaging with TechData around capacity planning, business planning and end user engagement through the partners,” he said.

“Knowing that SAS isn't going to sign up 1000 partners in the market, it's going to be that smaller number of engaged and committed and capable partners who are driving that mission forward.”