GE Access To Help Solution Providers Build Consultancies

GE Access

The Solutions Mentoring Practice Program is designed to help solution providers get closer to their customers and win business they might not otherwise be qualified for, said Michael McLaughlin, director of professional services at GE Access.

"We want to do what we can to build partnerships. It's a 'lead with services, follow with product' philosophy," McLaughlin said at GE Access' annual New Frontiers Conference here. "It's a new area for a number of our resellers. It's also an indication of the economy and the climate. It's a tough market space. We're finding our partners are anxious about how to move into different relationships with customers. What we've got is partners that traditionally did not have to worry about being deep in services. They could be great product and infrastructure providers, but it's tougher out there. Assessments are a real easy way to make transactions."

An end user, for example, might upgrade their storage capacity to last the next few years but their network infrastructure won't support that capacity, said Michael Minard, executive vice president of GE Access.

"If you can do an assessment, you've identified a need with a business impact," Minard said. "Not only that, but you've associated a time line, say 12 to 18 months, for the customer. Assessments are a win-win for you and your customer."

GE Access piloted the program with about 12 solution providers and rolled it out to all its partners here this week.

The distributor is targeting solution providers willing to make necessary investments, McLaughlin said. "We're going to be very straightforward that this doesn't fit for everyone. If you think you have resources where you need them, this is not for you," he said. "We'll sit down and say if you're serious it means an investment in people and training. Sometimes it's systems things that need to be done, but mostly it's putting the right resources in a dedicated, focused perspective."

The process also could take six to nine months before solution providers will see results, McLaughlin said.