#209 Authentic Customer And Vendor Support As The Most Trusted Partner

Notes:

Larger vendors cannot be everywhere all the time. That’s why they partner up with channels and value-added resellers so they as the vendors are focusing on the larger customers, channel partners and value-added resellers can help the smaller ones and provide a quality service.

Today, I talk to Michael Slater, the head of Sales at Sherwob who partners with larger organizations like the Googles, AWSs and Microsofts of the world. We talk about his experience going from Head of Presales to Head of Sales, how he negotiated that sweet deal that gets him out of Ottawa (one of the colder places on earth), and how he works with vendors and empowers customers.

Key Takeaways:

Technology Sales and Michael’s path to his current role
Using a personal competitive edge to win deals
Learning on the go to be effective with customers
Moving to a hybrid model of combining SE and AE into one role.
Being a channel for large companies and working with large vendors and channel partners.
Managing relationships with competing partners
My experience working with channels.
Providing customer support as a channel partner

Quotes:

“Everybody has to sell the company they work for” – Michael Slater

“If you cannot do it (learning) in a dedicated fashion, at least find ways where you can multitask and do both at the same time.” – Michael Slater

“I love the impact I see in terms of not just my people, but in terms of the customers and the changes we’re making in the world.” – Michael Slater

“Go find the place where that has the domain knowledge because that is your most valuable asset as an SE that will build over time and never diminish” – Michael Slater