Watch ABM Leaders Group Podcast: The Channel’s Pipeline Problem

This podcast episode, featuring chief analyst Jay McBain and industry experts, explores the evolving channel ecosystem and the challenges partners face in the modern AI-driven era. The discussion highlights a significant shift in buyer behavior and the need for partners to modernize their approach to stay competitive.


Key Takeaways from the Discussion:


  • The Pipeline Problem (3:04 – 5:45): Many channel partners have historically relied on word-of-mouth rather than robust B2B marketing. As the industry undergoes a major bifurcation, with massive growth in high-end AI infrastructure (like Nvidia and hyperscalers), many traditional partners are seeing declining profits because they lack foundational marketing strategies.

  • The New Digital Buyer (6:48 – 9:07): With the majority of tech buyers now born after 1982, the sales journey has changed. Modern buyers are integration-focused, prefer digital-first interactions, and often wish to complete their research and decision-making without speaking to a human salesperson (75% preference).

  • The Role of AI (10:25 – 11:28, 14:46 – 17:15): AI is rapidly automating various stages of the 28-moment buyer journey. Small and mid-market businesses are likely to implement AI through existing platforms (like Toast for restaurants or MarTech stacks) rather than direct procurement, shifting the partner’s role toward managing and integrating these AI-enhanced platforms.

  • The Power of Partnership (20:25 – 24:35): The era of the “ecosystem” is here. With an average of 6.3 partners involved in every deal, success relies on collaboration. Partners should not act as mere resellers but as an “early warning system” by being involved in the critical middle phase (around moment 12 of 28) of the buyer’s journey—the consulting and design phase.

Conclusion: To thrive in the next 20 years, partners must transition from a margin-focused business to a multiplier-business model. This involves proactive marketing, embracing a team-sport approach, and focusing on driving customer outcomes through continuous, recurring value.