In a recent episode of the Ecosystem Aces podcast hosted by Chip Rodgers, Neil Blecherman, Technology Alliances & Partner Program Director at Nutanix, shared his insights on the critical role of technology alliances and the intricacies of partner management. With a wealth of experience in guiding tech collaborations, Blecherman discussed the importance of validating value for partners, fostering innovation, and building resilient partnerships.
The SMOG Test: Ensuring Value for Partners
Blecherman introduced the concept of the SMOG test, a rigorous validation process that Nutanix uses to ensure the value of its solutions for partners. With over 1,000 validations, the SMOG test helps prove the technical viability and business value of new use cases, despite the challenges posed by rapid technological changes. Product managers at Nutanix play a crucial role in this process, collaborating closely with partners to drive the hardware/software spiral, a concept championed by Andy Grove, which emphasizes the interdependence of hardware and software advancements.
Beyond Sales: Paving the Road for New Tech
Blecherman emphasized that the role of a partner manager extends beyond merely driving sales. It involves paving the road for new technologies and supporting partners through the adoption process. By focusing on how new tech drives value for both solutions and hardware, Nutanix ensures that its partners can confidently sell and support these innovations. This approach is particularly crucial for new partners, helping them navigate the complexities of adopting and integrating new technologies.
Measuring Success: Balancing Attribution and Contribution
A common challenge in tech partnerships is accurately measuring success and attributing value to the right sources. Blecherman highlighted the importance of tracking initial revenue contributions and the costs associated with initial validation. By scaling these metrics and collaborating on marketing campaigns, Nutanix ensures that partners are not only contributing financially but also succeeding on a broader scale. These collaborations can lead to better resource allocation and a deeper understanding of how partners use Nutanix products, providing valuable insights for future development.
Prioritizing Collaboration and Investment
Joint investments and collaboration with field engineering teams are vital for making solutions specific to customer needs. Blecherman stressed that these partnerships go beyond standard compatibility tests, involving in-depth discussions on prioritizing features for upcoming releases. By delivering specific KPIs and leveraging the expertise of both tech and channel partners, Nutanix ensures that its solutions meet the highest standards of performance and customer satisfaction.
Building Trust and Resilience in Partnerships
Blecherman believes that successful partnerships are built on a foundation of like, respect, and trust. These elements are crucial for weathering the inevitable challenges that arise in long-term collaborations. Using a 1 to 5 scale to measure collaboration across marketing, sales, tech, and executive levels, Blecherman ensures that Nutanix maintains strong, resilient alliances. Trust, he noted, is particularly hard to build and takes time, but it is essential for creating partnerships that can thrive and adapt to changing circumstances.
Conclusion
Neil Blecherman’s insights on the Ecosystem Aces podcast hosted by Chip Rodgers provide a valuable framework for building and managing technology alliances. By focusing on validation, collaboration, and trust, Nutanix creates robust ecosystems that drive innovation and business success. Blecherman’s approach to partner management emphasizes the importance of making alliances personal and building strong, resilient relationships that can weather any storm.
Chip is passionate about building strong communities and ecosystems around enterprises to build excitement for the category, deliver value for customers, and grow the business. Prior to WorkSpan, Chip was with SAP for over 13 years, most recently growing the SAP Community Network to over 2 million engaged customers, partners, and developers. He has an MBA from the University of Chicago and an engineering degree from Northwestern.
