I recently had the experience of sitting on the opposite side of the table of the sales process and saw first hand the value to the client and the software vendor of having the right partner in the room. 

To begin, Waypoint was hired to assist one of our clients with a software selection process for a very industry specific peice of software.  We helped develop the RFP and conducted the interviews and ultimately a mini proof of concept. 

During the initial interviews, none of the vendors included an implementation partner in their meeting.  All stated they worked with partners, but they felt for our client to get the best service they should be point on the project. 

During the proof of concept phase, one of the vendors wisely decided to bring the partner the had selected for the project if awarded.  This simple choice set them apart.  The partner commanded expertise not only on the software but also the industry subject matter.  He brought real world examples, provided advise on critical decisions,  identified pitfalls in the project, and offered connections to similar clients that went through the same process.  Most of all, our client felt they found someone who could truely help them above and beyond just software.

To emphasize the importance of the impact the partner made, the client stated the vendor went from next to last on the list to the first choice.  In fact, the Vice President of Technology made the statement that if they had the partner in the room during round one, there may have not been a round two. 

The point of all this  is if your organization is begining a new project with a software vendor or manufacture that has a channel partner program, I would strongly recommend they bring in the partner early.  You will get more honest answers, a deeper level of expertise, and more knowledge sharing than you will with the vendor alone.  The consultative sales process will help educate you and your team to make a more informed decision and ultimately the right selection for a successful implementation.

Do you have any vendor/partner experiences you would like to share?  Do you feel like the partner added or retracted value in your projects?