New Model: Knowledge On Demand

Under these circumstances, formal vendor training and certification courses will take on less importance in the future. For vendors, this means a sea change in the way training and certification are provided to their partners.

This will be no small matter. A sneak preview of results from CRN's 2004 Certification Study, to be released in August, shows that 46 percent of solution provider salespeople and sales managers surveyed hold at least one sales-related certification, while 56 percent of all survey respondents hold at least one vendor-specific technical certification.

But once this model is in place, the benefits to solution providers and vendors will be great. For solution providers, it means a more efficient and seamlessly integrated business model from initial product recommendations to post-sales service and support.

But vendors are likely to face additional pressure from companies offering vendor-neutral certifications, which provide a cost-effective (in terms of both time and money) "all-in-one" package of core knowledge across vendors for a specific technology. The move to a knowledge-on-demand model is a ready-made opportunity for these companies. Already, one-third of CRN Certification Study respondents hold at least one vendor-neutral certification.

What's your take on this emerging model? Let me know via phone at (732) 919-1530 or e-mail at [email protected].