The biggest misconception is that SMBs aren't ready for AI. In reality, their lack of corporate bureaucracy allows them to be more agile and move faster than large enterprises. The key for vendors is to provide accessible, scalable solutions with a low entry point, enabling them to take small, quick steps.
Vendors fail to connect with SMBs on AI because their messaging is either too technical and intimidating or too aspirational and fluffy. SMB partners and customers want clarity, not hype. They need simple, concrete use cases demonstrating tangible business value like productivity gains or automation, not visions of futuristic robots.
Merging business units is challenging when one operates on fast, transactional sales cycles (IDG) and the other on long, complex solution sales (ISG). While customers see a single IT solution, the internal sales motions, skills, and incentives are fundamentally different, creating a major integration hurdle.
Moving from transactional to value-led sales is an HR challenge before it's a sales one. It demands hiring new profiles who can translate tech into business language. For existing teams, it's not just about training; it requires a deep assessment of whether current employees have the right skills and are in the right roles for the future.
The shift from transactional to solution selling is difficult because channel economics are traditionally built on volume. Partners are hesitant to invest the extra time required for consultative selling when the immediate financial incentive isn't there. Vendors must bridge this gap with co-selling, co-creation, and enablement to prove the ROI of a value-based approach.