Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 36 | Page 63

CHANNEL CHIEF

EUROPE
ALI HASTINGS is Regional Channel Director , UK & I , at Avaya . She tells us about how Avaya works with channel partners and how it ensures that partners flourish in a competitive market .

DDescribe your current job role and the parts that are somewhat challenging ?

I am the UK & I Regional Channel Director / Leader for Avaya . I am responsible for the commercial and strategic direction of the channel team and , most importantly , ensuring we work collaboratively and in true partnership with our channels locally via our Partner Edge Programme .
As we continue our successful transition to a SaaS company , we are working closely with our partners to ensure that they have the right resources and knowledge to transition to the consumption models that our customers demand , while fuelling their ability to fulfil their immediate and future needs . We work in a fast changing and uncertain environment and our top priority has been being there for our business partners to support them to navigate this phase .
Can you explain how your company works with channel partners ?
The Channel Account Managers in my team ensure our channels are fully abreast of the
Our model is built on true partnership where the channel is an extension of our team in all aspects of the business , including our joint focus on our customers .
Avaya One Cloud portfolio today and our future roadmap . They work in collaboration with our partners to help us collectively differentiate and shape our roadmap in-line with customer and industry demand and market changes and challenges . Our wellestablished Edge Partner Programme is built to incentivise and ensure our business partners ’ readiness to drive business as well as create incremental value to customers .
How do you ensure channel partners flourish in a highly competitive market ?
In two ways . Firstly , solution differentiation : our Avaya One Cloud portfolio offers our channels the ability to service customers in any way they wish ( public , private or a managed service ) and via a standard onpremises or OPEX / subscription commercial model . This is a key differentiator in the market and gives our channels choice . Thanks to an extensive ecosystem of alliance partners , the ability of our technology to deliver speed to value for our customers and the inherent capabilities of our technology to drive innovation at the edge , the Avaya portfolio is second to none in the customer experience and workstream collaboration industries .
Secondly , commercial differentiation : our Edge Partner Programme has always been the most agile , introducing new elements in parallel to shifts in the industry and alongside customer demand . Along with extensive training and knowledge transfer , we have built within our Edge Programme a business model that incentivises and supports our transition . Our model is built on true partnership where the channel is an extension of our team in all aspects of the business , including our joint focus on our customers .
Ali Hastings , Regional Channel Director , UK & I , Avaya
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Issue XX 36
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