Vendors need to resolve basic issues

Around three years back we conducted IT Panchayats in 21
B and C class cities all across the country with the aim to bring together
partners, distis and vendors on one platform. The idea was to take up the
day-to-day issues being faced by the partners and get the distis and vendors to
redress them.

Not surprisingly, the basic problems being faced by the partners
across all the cities were exactly the same. Top of the lists were backend
incentives and DoA (Dead on Arrival). In some places partners were an agitated
lot when it came to discussing these issues. And vendors had hardly any kind
words, which could address the concerns of partners.

From last month, we have embarked upon the next round of IT Panchayats.
And we have already covered five cities with five more to go in the current
quarter. The one big thing, which has emerged out of it, is that nothing on the
ground has changed. Those two basic issues of backend incentives and DoA are
very much alive and kicking. This is really shocking. Three years down the line,
the channel community in the small cities is still grappling with the two basic
issues with vendors having failed miserably to resolve them.

Now the question arises as to why are the vendors not taking
them up seriously? Isn't this something they should resolve on a top priority
basis? After all, it concerns the health of their partners! I think the answer
lies in the systems and processes, which the MNC vendors have set up. On paper
the process looks very nice and clean. Everything is crystal clear with an
outside agency managing it. Partners need to file claims online with adequate
proof and within a stipulated period the claims are paid to the partners.

However, the process misses out one basic ingredient-the human
element. In their zeal to make the process transparent and efficient, they
somehow didn't keep in mind that in India human element is required at every
stage. That would ensure that rather than going simply by the book, each case is
dealt in a different way, as there are times when partners have difficulty in
going by the external agency driven process. They would much rather have
somebody handholding them. This way, a lot of partner complaints will disappear.

But will the MNC vendors bite the bullet and treat the Indian
sensibilities differently? It is highly unlikely. However, if they really want
to earn the respect of their partners, they must look at the issue through a
different prism and then accordingly take the necessary steps.