Vendors need to revamp their process

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.

Asim Raina Editor

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 are 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 with 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. Otherwise, for the next
foreseeable future, these two issues will remain as they are.