146 - From the Vault: Navigating the Partner Ecosystem - Norma Watenpaugh

Norma Watenpaugh joins the podcast to discuss the importance of customer experience in ecosystem economics. She highlights the role of partners in shaping the customer experience and explains how understanding partner revenue streams is crucial for understanding the overall economics of an ecosystem.  Norma discusses the significance of building intellectual property with partners and the challenges of measuring partnership influence. She points out that the expectation for time to value has significantly changed in the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, with customers now expecting immediate value.  Norma also touches on the lagging adoption of new trends by partners and the need for a more agile approach in the channel.  **Key Takeaways:** - Partners play a crucial role in shaping the customer experience and are essential for driving business outcomes. - Understanding partner revenue streams is crucial for understanding the overall economics of an ecosystem. - Building intellectual property with partners creates stickiness and drives long-term value for customers. - Measuring influence in partnerships can be challenging, but it is important to track the impact of partners on revenue and customer outcomes. - The expectation for time to value has significantly changed in the SaaS model, with customers now expecting immediate value. - Partners often lag behind in adopting new trends, and an agile approach is needed to keep up with market demands. - Integration partners are important for retaining customers and delivering ongoing value. **Chapters:** 00:00 Introduction 00:39 The Role of Partners in Sales 01:31 Guest Introduction: Norma Wattenpah 02:27 Understanding Ecosystem Economics 03:01 The Importance of Customer Experience in Ecosystem Economics 03:18 The Role of Partners in Customer Experience 04:04 Understanding Partner Revenue Streams 08:05 Building Intellectual Property with Partners 25:09 The Challenge of Measuring Influence in Partnerships 31:20 The Importance of Customer Value in Software Services 32:10 The Role of Partners in Software Implementation 32:41 Incorporating Partners into Business Growth Plans 33:20 The Shift Towards Post-Sale Consulting 34:19 Understanding the Economic Model of Software Services 34:53 The Impact of Partners on Business Growth 35:57 The Role of Partners in Customer Success 37:47 The Evolution of Business Development and Partnerships 38:36 Understanding the Different Types of Partnerships 40:58 The Importance of Time to Value in SaaS 41:48 The Role of Partners in Customer Retention and Growth 42:07 The Future of Partnerships in Business Development