How to Create an Effective Channel Partner Training Program
A team is only as strong as its weakest link. And an enterprise company is only as strong as its network of partners. Does that statement give you pause and make you wonder whether you’ve equipped your channel partners sufficiently? For many companies, partner training is part of daily operations. Partner training can even be part of a business growth plan. But it can be challenging to get partner training right. Your company’s partners are not quite employees, and they are not quite customers; they are somewhere in the middle. Training a large network of stakeholders who look to you for direction, but are also responsible for distributing your brand’s products and services, is tricky.
To create a robust and effective channel partner training program, you need three things:
- Knowledge of your partners’ learning needs
- A strategy that equips your partners for their work and improves their experience with your brand
- Technology to train a large network of partners across multiple locations (and even multiple languages)
If all of this sounds daunting, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about channel partner training and how to create an effective channel partner training program.
What is channel partner training?
Before we get into the details of strategy, let’s dive into definitions. Channel partner training is the process of educating individuals within your organization’s network who sell, distribute, or utilize your products or services. Channel partners are part of your organization’s extended network. They are not employees, but they also aren’t considered customers.
Channel partner training, therefore, is different from employee training. It requires a more targeted approach to training due to audience, product knowledge, company goals, and other needs. There are different types of channel partner training, including training for vendors, franchisees, resellers, contractors, and distributors. Training courses frequently cover topics like product details, industry standards or compliance courses, or information about the brand.
Ultimately, channel partner training should be educational and practical, but it should also be enjoyable and entertaining so that your network gets value out of the experience.
Types of Partner Training
As we mentioned before, channel partner training can take on varying forms. Here’s a closer look at the different types.
Channel Partner Training for Vendors
Vendors are individuals or organizations that supply products to the end-user or customer. In many cases, vendors purchase the products from you to sell to those customers. Channel partner training for vendors focuses on educating vendors about the organization’s products and services, including their features, benefits, and unique selling points. For companies in industries like manufacturing or technology, vendor training may include in-depth courses about product uses. It may also include product demos or advanced knowledge about the industry and customer needs.
Vendor training may also include information about the brand, its range of products, and key messaging, to help vendors be more effective at selling products.
Channel Partner Training for Franchisees
If your company operates with a network of franchise partners, training is an essential part of the onboarding process. To get new franchisees set up for success, they’ll need training about business operations, products, and services and essential marketing knowledge or sales processes. Franchisees need to be equipped to thrive in their markets, so franchisee onboarding training could also include courses about specific markets, information about regions, or knowledge about a unique customer base.
Channel Partner Training for Resellers
Training for resellers is similar to vendor and franchisee training in that it will require essential product knowledge, information about the brand and its range of products (or services), and marketing messaging. Depending on the product or technology sold, resellers may need to take compliance training courses as part of their training as well.
Channel Partner Training for Contractors
The gig economy is growing, and many companies rely on contractors to fill talent gaps within the organization. Even though these team members are not full-time employees, they are essential organizational partners and need training. For contractors working in a specific department, training could include job-specific information or processes, basic onboarding training (information about the company, its history, etc.), or industry-related topics. Contractors may also need to complete compliance training courses to ensure safety as they work.
Channel Partner Training for Distributors
Distributors require training similar to reseller partners, meaning that they also need product knowledge, access to marketing materials, and insights about the brand and its operations. However, distributors may also require further training on topics such as inventory management, order fulfillment, and other organizational or administrative tasks.
LMS Features for Channel Partner Training
A handful of LMS features can improve the channel partner training experience for your organization and your network. Whether you are training partners at multiple levels or different types, it’s important to keep partners certified. With our LMS platform, you can set criteria based on requirements for each level of partnership, so that anyone working alongside your brand stays up-to-date with essential compliance regulations within the field. Categorizing partner levels, and making distinctions between different degrees of training certifications, is essential for managing a large network of partners.
Personalized Learning Pathways
ExpertusONE offers the ability to create personalized learning paths based on a partner’s role, level of experience, and specific needs ensuring that partners receive relevant and practical training. The training for each group can be tailored to each individual’s needs and other requirements. Our AI-enabled LMS platform enables personalized course recommendations for each learner without any additional administrative effort.
Multi-Language Support
ExpertusONE offers the ability to deliver training in multiple languages so that companies can train every partner in their network, regardless of location. The platform can support a variety of languages, including Czech, Danish, German, English, French, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish, and Chinese.
LMS Mobile App
ExpertusONE provides the means to deliver training on mobile devices, ensuring that partners can access training on any device, increasing engagement and retention. Our LMS mobile app offers the same interactive learning experience as a desktop device, with the convenience of anytime-anywhere accessibility.
LMS Gamification
ExpertusONE utilizes LMS gamification features such as badges, leaderboards, and rewards to help motivate partners to engage with the training content and complete their training. Companies can customize badges and awards to align with company values and branding so that a clear and consistent brand story is told across every partner and customer engagement.
LMS Analytics and Reporting
ExpertusONE’s robust LMS reporting and analytics features enable companies to track and measure partner training progress and performance (i.e., ROIs and KPIs) while also identifying areas of improvement; this confirms that partners are effectively trained and contributing to business success.
Ready to improve your partner training experience and equip your entire network? Contact ExpertusONE today to learn more about our industry-leading software and to receive a free demo.
