Partner Portal

Summary Report

(Completion rate: 66.53%)

Of the 6,350 portal users that were contacted 940 started the survey of which  636 users (67%) completed the survey. The comparably high response rate of 10% shows the interest & value of the partner portal to our partners.

1.1 What type of channel organisation are you working for?

[pic 1]

Respondents were well distributed over all different types of channel organizations: 27% resellers, 15% distributors, 29% registered resellers, 29% global & local alliances. This reflects importance and usage of the partner portal over all types of channel organizations.

1.2 How many full-time employees work in your company over all locations?

[pic 2]

[pic 3]

Responses were provided by channel organizations of all sizes: 38% (less than 20 employees), 32% (between 20 and 100), 19% (between 100 and 1000), 12% (over 1000). The vast majority (70%) of users belong to channel organizations with less than a hundred employees.

1.3 What is your role in your organisation?

[pic 4]

Responses were mainly provided by Service / Post Sales (36%), Presales & Sales staff (25%), and executive/owners (23%). Marketing staff seems to be under represented - which is caused by the facts that most partners do not have dedicated Marketing staff and that main Marketing tools like Digital Channel, Partner Fund and MarketingCONNECT must not be accessed via the partner portal.  

2.1 How frequently do you use the Unify Partner Portal?

[pic 5]

The majority of responses are from regular users: A quarter of respondents (26%) are using the portal daily, almost 80% at least once a week.

2.2 How satisfied are you with the portal overall?

[pic 6]

Excluding undefined responses, overall average satisfaction across all participants was 3.4 on a scale of 5. This reflects 52% of participants that are “satisfied (4)” or very satisfied (5)”, while 15% are not satisfied (1 & 2).

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2.3 How does our portal compare to other vendors´ portals?

[pic 7]

Excluding undefined responses, the 45% of respondents rated our partner portal better (4/5) and 35% similar compared to other vendors’ portals. Roughly 20% rated portals from other vendors better (1/2).  

3.1 How satisfied are you with the availability and performance of the portal? 

[pic 8]

53% are satisfied (4/5) with portal availability & performance. While 13% were unsatisfied (2) and 5% completely unsatisfied (1). Leaving a big chunk of 29% indifferent (3).

Portal’s availability and performance is critical to our business success and needs to be further improved. This is addressed in the alpha project “Infrastructure Modernization”. In addition a reliable end user experience monitoring for the portal needs to be installed by Unify IT.

3.2 How satisfied are you specifically with the performance of the software download (optional)? 

[pic 9]

Almost 50% are satisfied (4/5) with performance of the software download.
Of the remainder, 29% were indifferent (3), 15% were unsatisfied (2), and 7% completely unsatisfied (1).

Software download performance is a priority for our business and portal users. This is address as part of the alpha project “Scalability & Update of Partner Tools”. In addition IT needs to install a reliable end user experience monitoring.

3.3 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Availability and Performance"? (optional)

The 236 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

• Documentation: 50 responses

• More Mkt/Sales resources, e.g. presentations, vendor comparison, success stories, analyst reports, sales training, Youtube videos, webinars, collection of major resources in Sales & Marketing Kits

• More language support, e.g. FR/ES/PT/BR-PT/RU

• Timely provision of documentation for new products/product versions: News in partner newsletter, Release for IC countries in TopNet

• Regularly updated documentation

• Better categorization of documents
  information on document purpose and target group

• Improved E-Doku Content: More detailed datasheets,
  Better structured support manuals

• Access problems E-Doku: Implementation tab not accessible,
  Service manuals disappeared, Documents moved to other areas

• Documentation on Phaseout products: E-Doku archive or info how to obtain, Longer period before phase out Improved

• Sales Release Information: Better structure &
  Consistent compatibility information
  

• Portal Performance: 30 responses

• Portal infrastructure i.e. clustering, scalability

• Reengineering of Portal architecture i.e loose coupling, interdependency Portal -  Sitecore, BOL interface, GSA connectors,
  

• Availability:         25 responses

• Portal itself: Improved server / network monitoring by Atos, Focus on regular maintenance windows i.e. on weekend, Proactive certificate renewal, Reduced interdependency with other infrastructure  

• Major applications (i.e. GSI tools): Reliable permission assignment
  

• Browser support: 6 responses

• Portal

• Embedded applications
  

• Customer Service Desk: 1 responses

• Incidents are only fixed after several days

• Often unnecessary questions despite clear incident description
  

• Search:  47 responses

• Documents

• Software

• Portal Content

• KMOSS

• Knowledgebase

• User Interface:  3 responses

• More prominent Featured Links / My Favorites functionality

• Update Customer Profile

• Remember User name
  

• Software: 65 responses

• Improved Performance: Download speed, resume, bandwidth

• Easier Handling: Download Manager, Automated download of new versions, EULA Terms per session, SWS Notification, improved search, display of latest versions, access to pilot software
  

• Service: 10 responses

• KM: Improved search (i.e. standardized assignment to products/product versions)

• Ticket Management: speed, complexity, stability/availability, escalation options, notification on ticket status change, info on current owner with contact information

• KM/Ticket Management: Insight in (open and i.e. closed) tickets submitted from other partners in KM or Ticket Management

• Partner Contract Management: Delegation functionality error prone

• KMOSS: Release Notes in KMOSS often just refer to a ticket number,
  Release Notes not available

• Technical Support: 24x7
  

• Content & Navigation:  24 responses

• More marketing resources

• More intuitive portal structure

• More local language support
  

• Marketing: 4 response

• More proactivity on sales & marketing resources (e.g. partner newsletter, portal news, SMK)

• Marketing resources (like vendor comparison & analyst reports)

• Marketing tools
  

• Presales: 3 responses

• Offer-to-order Tool

• Configuration Tool with GPL
  

• Local Content: 2 responses

• Germany

• Russia
  

• Avant/TI Online: 1 response

• Better information about licenses, system limits and compliant products

• Browser Support
  

• CLS: 2 responses

• Usability

• Speed

• Error prone
  

• Order Tracking: 2 response

• Browser Support

• Archive of delivery notes and invoices from last 2-3 years
  

• Training: 2 response

• More sales & technical training

• Single Sign-On from Partner Portal
  (automated creation of portal users)
  

• Channel Management: 2 responses

• Rules of Engagement & Move of installed base

• Channel Management in indirect countries
  

4.1 How satisfied are you with the layout and functionality of the homepage?

[pic 10]

Satisfaction with the portal’s homepage across all participants averages at 3.5 on a scale of 5. This reflects 56% of participants that are “satisfied (4)” or very satisfied (5)”, while 12% are not satisfied (1 & 2).

4.2 How satisfied are you with the navigation structure?

[pic 11]

19% of respondents are not satisfied (1 & 2) with the current navigation structure. Free text comments reveal that the introduction of a more powerful search engine for portal content, documentation and core support tools a priority for portal users to ease navigation of the portal.

The introduction of new search engine was not accepted for the alpha project list. This needs to become priority project directly funded from Channel Sales Operations. In addition the current navigation may be revised and streamlined (i.e. with respect to reduction of navigation levels) by Channel Marketing.

4.3 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Homepage & Navigation"? (optional)

The 130 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

• Performance of Navigation (3 responses)

• Slow navigation (eliminate dependencies between JBOSS/Sitecore)
  

• Landingpage (2 responses)

• Remember country setting

• Route short URLs to respective country
  

• User Interface (4 response)

• Adjust the size of homepage (content area to narrow,
  in Software Search sometimes the right part is cut off

• Larger Font Size

• Support Backbutton in Portal (-> analysis by IT if loose coupling
  of navigation between Sitecore and JBOSS can solve this)

• Restrict use of pop-up windows (issue if pop-up blockers enabled)
  

• Consistency (1 response)

• No move of navigation items without information
  

• Personalization (2 responses)

• Dashboard for selection of preferred sections

• Personalized navigation based on user type (service, sales, marketing…)
  

• Navigation (20 repsonses)

• Clear naming

• Less hierarchy levels

• Less complex, clearer structure

• Parallel access to information in support / sales
  

• Content (13 responses)

• Improved display of news

• Regular updates on Unify products

• Homepage too full and not clear structured

• Too much information per page and too little points for orientation

• Access to intranet servers and pages with helpful information

• Consistent use of German on German pages

• Productnewsletter with updates for a product version & softwaregroup

• Clear structure targeted to support sales

• A discussion forum on bugs would be helpful

• Improved overview on Pre-Sales documents on PHP and/or SMK
  

• Documentation (17 responses)

• Latest Service manuals in zip format in own section

• Eliminate internal G-DMS links

• More marketing & sales documentation

• Language Support (Brazilian/Russian…)

• Archive with Service documentation on outphased products

• Missing product versions (e.g. OpenScape Voice Vx)

• Compatibility matrix

• PDF download option direct to the documents

• Structure from Products & Services A-Z (e.g. OpenScape Branch as main category and all Branches below instead of each Branch type as own entry

• Technical Information under Support (not Sales)

• Easier access to Release Notes with compatibility matrix

• Portfolio Home Pages (1 response)

• Better highlighting of new documents

• Same naming for new versions (same pid)

• Better information/notification on new versions (highlight in A_Z, notification option for new products & product versions )
  

• SWS (10 responses)

• Clear info on Compatibility (Download version– system version)
  -> Can we show this information in GSA Search Result?

• Portfolio Structure

• Back button (show information on start page to use bread crumb?)

• Favorites-Functionality to return to a specific product for software updates

• Reference to related software versions that need to updated as well
  

• Knowledgebase (1 response)

• Instructions/documentation for on site technician (e.g. examples for complex issues that are often discussed in Wiki or Forums)
  

• Ticket Management (2 responses)

• Too complex

• Option to add notes and allow to contact ticket owner

• No current versions selectable

• No German interface

• CLS (2 responses)

• Easy access to customer contact information

• Improved search
  

• Training (1 response)

• Easier to find your way around

• Especially when looking for and booking applicable training
  

• Partner Locator (1 response)

• More information about local partners (resellers & distributors)
  

5.1 Please select 3 portal elements you would like to see on a mobile client

[pic 12]

Number of responses (1986) shows that most participants answered this optional question. This may indicate that mobile client is on our partner’s agenda. Top elements for a future mobile client are Support Knowledgebase (448), Portfolio Information (341), Portal Content (300), Ticket management (268), Software Download (220) and Order Tracking (142).

Provision of mobile client for the partner portal was not accepted for the alpha project list. Pre-requisites for such a project are the implementation of new search engine (see 4.2) and the infrastructure modernization project (see 3.1)! This prerequisites and the necessary funding by business (Channel Sales Ops) seems to be unrealistic for FY15. Once project is started the main elements identified in the survey need to be considered with priority.

5.2 If you need anything else, please specify (optional)

The 45 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

• Open Text responses on required mobile content

• Documentation (12 responses)

• Marketing (8 responses)

• Presales (everything the customer will ask you: what works with this system, where is this system, how much is it)

• Search into underlying datasources

• Ticket management - status, update, reports (4 responses)

• License Management (3 responses)

• Interconnectivity of Unify products and their functions via flow chart (1 response)

• Order Tracking (1 response)

• Technical Order Information (1 response)

• Training (1 response)
  

• Channel Management (1 responses)

• Actions between Distributor and Unify need to be better coordinated.

• To Unify OpenScape Business was released in November / 2014

• It was made available for purchase by Distributor in April / 2014 but without spare parts, without backup, without consistent information about upgrade, without training, no inventory, policy and etc ...

• Still, even today there occur system failures in the clients and no solution in sight.
  

6.1 How satisfied are you with the content in each of these areas?

[pic 13]

For 6 out of 8 categories more than 20% of respondents are unsatisfied (1&2). Promotions and Ordering & Pricing Information were rated lowest, followed by Sales & Marketing Resources. 

Partners are looking for fresh, regularly updated portal content. This content needs to be provided by Channel Marketing & Solution Marketing.

6.2 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Content of the portal"? (optional)

The 62 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

Documentation (10 responses)

• Product notification on new products

• Better filtering of document notifications by type
  (e.g. Sales Release Notes, Service manuals, …)

• Lack of service documentation

• Provide internal technical information also to partners

• Incomplete documentation (some times even datasheet)

• Updated documentation that refers to Window 8.1 or even 8.

• Consistent structure of same document type for other product version

• Highlighting new versions / productson PHP

• Archive for outphased products

• Eliminate Links to internal Unify pages (OSIRIS/G-DMS) and/or use external accessible links!
  

• Channel Marketing (10 responses)

• More and better access to promotions

• Clear info in Portuguese about promotions, upgrade, licenses, terms of promotions

• Less marketing oriented news

• Access to image pool (application screenshots)

• Free of charge merchandise articles

• Partner Success Stories by country / by product

• Updated Battlecards with latest competitor/promotion info

• Streamlined portal navigation
  

• Solution Marketing (3 responses)

• Roadmaps

• Eliminate internal links

• Language Support (e.g. Russian, Spanish)

• Brochures on products eg. myPortal, myPortal Smart, Mobility

• SWS (6 responses)

• Better filtering of SWS notifications (deeper selection of systems only released software (w/o Pilot Software)

• Timing of SWS notification mail (in German response not ideal)

• Multiple SWS notifications per day. Same email always twice (partially identical emails on same new software status)

• Email updates regarding new software releases for applications and phone systems

• 'blog' page with this info

• More logical breakdown of downloads

• Links to associated software
  

• Ticket management (1 responses)

• Too complex handling
  

• Service general (2 responses)

• Cls ins Partnerportal integrieren

• SMB Technical Newesletter also for large portfolio
  

• Knowledge Management (1 responses)

• Too complex handling

• Insufficient search

• Missing content

• Unclear portfolio structure
  

• Pricing (2 responses)

• Pricelist is difficult to navigate (it's way too long).

• After notification on a new Pricelist, it takes 2 to 3 days or even more, to have proper version of the pricelist for download (inform in Price Circular if timing cannot be improved)
  

• Supply Chain / Master Data (2 responses)

• Inform in case of delivery delays also on reason

• Speed and update delivery status

• TI Online in German

• Outdated info in Ordering & Pricing Information
  

• Channel Management (2 responses)

• More CAM resources

• Rebranding came at a difficult market in Europe

• Too high prices for Unified Communication products

• Portal functionality (2 responses)

• Send links to documents or places in the UPP

• Login Performance
  

• Training (5 responses)

• More free WBTs

• Free access to training resources (presentations)

• More information on trainings and certifications

• Presales training
  

• Presales (5 responses)

• Calcuation /  Offer to Order Tool

• Access to OSIRIS/Presales Dialog for German partners

• SMB Forum also for large portfolio
  

• Partner Locator (1 responses)

• Regular update and correct data

• PartnerCONNECT (1 responses)

• Overview of obtained certificates of partner employees

7.1 How satisfied are you with the following service tools?

[pic 14]

Service Knowledge and Service Ticket Tools did significantly succeed the unsatisfaction level (1&2) of 20%.

Fee text comments often refer to usability of ticket management tools and content/performance of knowledgebase. This needs to be addressed by the Service Organization as tools & content owner.

7.2 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Service tools"? (optional)

The 66 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

• Ticket Management (23 responses)
  

• File upload not reliable (cannot be added or get lost)

• Often ticket creation cannot be completed (performance&scalability?)

• No way to filter out closed tickets assigned to me. You have to go to MCOM and spend allot of time to find your ticket.

• Option to adding notes to a ticket not found

• Full ticket report incomplete (not all worklogs are visible)

• Easier way to view/download licenses based on MAC, if possible in first screen
  

• Ticket system too slow (performance&response time)

• Browser support (e.g. Firefox, works only on some browsers and there not well)
  

• Ticket creation form should be easier to fill

• Confusing (unübersichtliches) Layout, not acceptable tool

• Not intuitive, state-of-the-art (enter after company
  selection without hint)

• More complex and time consuming compared to old GSI.Web

• Midtier is a step backward it is so slow and not intuitive

• Midtier is very time consuming as old GSI.Web had everything on one page *no need to browser a few pages to open a ticket)

• Missing documentation/instructions (provide webinar also within the application)

• Very unclear (unübersichtlich) and little value-add (own saved E-Mail correspondence is of more value)
  

• Allow reseller access for tickets submitted on his behalf by distri

• Ticket system not designed for resellers behind distribution
  

• Slow response time by agents to raised tickets

• No feedback on raised tickets

• Very slow and inefficient technical support (even causing negative impact on partner sales)
  

• Partners not onboarded to ticket system & hotline (not aware
  of Partner Support & SW Support?)
  
  

• Knowledgebase (14 response)
  

• Hardly relevant entries to be found

• Knowledgebase almost unusable

• Content usually out of date

• Knowledgebase not always providing required information

• More entries/content

• Often links in KM entries are leading into nirvana (e.g. Intranet, G-DMS)

• Provide better incentives for Unify staff to add to the database
  

• Show partner's technical support also pending and closed/solved tickets created by other companies (allows to better identify what has been fixed in a SW Version, Release Notes often just refer to such ticket numbers and provide too short/unprecise description)

• Knowledgebase should provide SIP - ITSP configuration examples

• Put free documentation (i.e. from trainings) to knowledge base

• Queries last too long (performance)
  

• More intuitive and user friendly

• It is difficult to find required information

• Knowledgebase is very unclear ("unübersichtlich") and hard to filter on a certain product (hint: use common product portfolio structure)

• Knowledgebase is somewhat unclear (unübersichtlich).

• Browser Support (e.g. issues with IE 11)

• Knowledgebase should provide better portfolio structure (e.g. separate by equipment type Hipath 3000,OpenScape Business, OpenOffice and then by topic)

• Improve Knowledgebase search (e.g. filter for search results)

• Better keyword search 

• SWS (14 responses)
  

• Software Versions not on latest state

• Software Download slow, download speed, partially very slow

• Very large data volume makes update process too time consuming
  

• Consistent provision of content on first attempt

• Ensure full browser support (e.g. higher IE versions)

• Support back/forward button to avoid losing search results when swapping pages. Used javascript elements do not even allow minimum workaround “to open in new tab”

• Auto download for certain type of software via download manager (e.g. subscribe to OpenScape Voice V8 and each new software release of OSV will be auto downloaded to local server running the download manager)

• Proactive provision of new upgrade software or service tools

• Too difficult handling

• Difficult to navigate (e.g. portfolio structure, confirmation steps)

• Software sometimes hard to allocate and not well sorted

• FTP-Server as Downloadserver is easier to handle

• Better search functionality

• Wider size of Software-Download pages

• Better structured SWS pages

• Improve sorting/filtering
  

• Better description of the software’s content (e.g. more detailed release notes, compatibility information, hints on other software updates)
  

• CLS (13 response)
  

• Improve CLS & Online licensing for OSB (never works)

• Show deactivated licenses only on request

• Allow to search for a Feature code in the 'Transfer Licenses' option (asked Feike Wierda (Unify NL) to internally request this feature)

• Very poor and time consuming investigation options (who received what when?)

• Easier way to view/download licenses based on MAC, if possible in first screen
  

• In general to complicated - a newcomer can hardly create the first license file without support

• CLS lacks funktionality - too often, we have to contact license support because the system can't perform the tasks we need.

• Licence server could be easier designed

• General improvement potential
  

• Performance improvement potential
  

• License server should in future accessible for all customers in our region to provide licenses for our installed base (- da wir viele Bestandskunden nachlizensieren könnten.)
  

• Time restricted licenses for tests or customer presentations. There exist evaluation licenses but those cannot be used in all circumstance (Wenn man einmal eine TK-Anlage lizensiert hat, muss man meines Wissens die Lizenzen immer kaufen).
  

• SSO access to avoid 2 user names & password (portal & CLS)

• Unclear who gets access and how
  

• If German is selected all content should be provided in German

• Documentation (2 response)
  

• If there are reasons we should not have access to install/service documentation - please let us know who can give us the information.

• More/better service manuals 
  

• Tools for service partners (1 response)
  

• Provide latest versions of fault management tools like TracEx, Message Doctor.
   

• Simulation tools (1 response)
  

• More simulation/offline tools for big projects (OSV, Hipath 4000 with applications, OSKAR,... ) 

8.1 How satisfied are you with the following ordering and tracking tools?

[pic 15]

For the ordering categories 22 to 28% of respondents are unsatisfied (1&2). Least satisfied are users with the Offer-to-Order tools. 

The importance of a new Offer-to-Order tool is already addressed as alpha project. Progress for a mid-term solution is currently unclear as the initially targeted solution based on Visual Project is currently under re-evaluation from strategic perspective. Remaining feedback to tools needs to be addressed by tool owners in Supply Chain organization.

8.2 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Ordering & Tracking"? (optional) 

The 43 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

• Offer to Order Tool (13 responses)
  

• Metis is still very errorprone in calculation of configuration –
  i.e. Offline Version with Openscape Business V1

• Metis has several errors in the output configurations

• The applications for configuration in Quicksales y Meltis do not work correctly

• Metis sometimes does not work

• Metis and QuickSales are jacked up in my opinion. I must use the Firefox browser, yet when the Metis or QS tool opens other windows, e.g.; ECS, it pops open an IE window.

• It takes too long to configure products in Metis/ECS
  

• Need tool for quick offers (feedback from Spanish respondent)

• In Portugal there are currently no tools like Metis / Quicksales, but would be highly required

• Salestools for the Nordic countrys are missing
  

• VP is a great configuration tool but quite complex to maintain on the PCs of our customers which are re-installed regularly.

• Waiting for a web tool with same functionality and ergonomics as VP

• VP is somewhat outworn ("angestaubt"), but serves its duty.

• We use GYP and it is very useful tool

• Make configuration / calculation tool available for resellers from distributor

• OTT (6 responses)
  

• Details on earlier orders (e.g. delivery notes and invoices) from former years not available

• Tracking of delivery status of freight forwarder

• Better search option and overview on all activities
  

• Updates to order tracking status, i.e., tracking numbers and ship dates, seems to be behind.  For example, when checking for a tracking number, by the time the tracking number is listed the package has already arrived at the customer site.

• Order Tracking is helpful, but somewhat unclear (unübersichtlich)

• Tracking of order in OTT hard to access

• Have a go at the order tracking and see how you go. It is a dog.
  

• Spareparts Shop (8 responses)
  

• Regular update of data in spare parts shop (i.e. availability of orderable items)

• Would be nice with pictures of all spareparts
  

• If you do not have the S number you find barely nothing.

• Naming of items and abbreviations often very strange and not consistent

• Integration with the "Search in TI-Online" to find for products (Produktnummern) also the items (Sachnummern)"
  

• Could have a upgrade in terms of design and functionality

• Sparepart Management is ok, an update and upgrade to current web development would be worthwile

• Somewhat unsophisticated ("bieder")
  

• We need to receive spare part price list monthly to inform our customer to get the order
  

• Access to Spareparts Shop not automatically granted with new account. Same is true for "Abruflager/Calloff-Warehouse"
  

• Spareparts shop not available for resellers from distributor
  

• Webshop (5 responses)
  

• Browser Support

• Often problems under Firefox that not all buttons (e.g. "Order/Bestellen") displayed and page needs to be reloaded and consequently order new created.

• Under IE Explorer printing to a pdf file does not work - browser crashes, this issue only occurs on Unify site.

• B2B sometimes hangs up, thus need to restart ordering process if entering items manually.questions
  

• There is no notification that orders for "projektierungspflichtige" positions cannot be submitted. In this case there is also no notification when the order is reversed (storniert).

• B2B-Webshop does not carry much positions

• Certainly the B2B Webshop is more then 10 years outdated.

• Layout of the ordering process should be changed. when creating a new order it's impossible to get this in full screen. I have 5(!) scrollbars on one page.
  

• General (3 responses)
  

• Rollout of tools: We can neither order nor track,
  Do not know those tools, are they available for us

• Onboarding to tools: Can still not access ordering tools

• FAQs for Sales / service questions

• Merchandise / KOMM Shop (2 responses)
  

• Merchandise-Material too expensive

• Especially data sheets should be free of charge

• Global provision (not used on other continents)

9.1 How satisfied are you with the following presales and bid support tools?

[pic 16]
The Product Configurator showed unsatisfaction of about 25% (1&2). This tool was introduced as workaround to provide some configuration capabilities to partners (i.e. 2 tier resellers) without access to a Unify offer-to-order tool.

This issue will be addressed if the under 8.1 referenced new Offer-to-Order tool get also distributed to 2 tier resellers. Similar as planned for SMO, an export/import interface for OSD² configurations should be considered with a new Offer-to-Order tool, if channel partners get broader access to the Open Smart Designer (OSD²).

Unclear who will best address these issues as there exists no global presales organization at the moment.

9.2 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Presales Support"? 

The 43 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

• Offer-to-Order Tool (9 responses)
  

• VP is very good tool except of missing validation and that products are not the same in VD Sales

• Allow configuration of extensions for existing systems based on the existing installed base file "Anlagen-File" for HiPath 3000, OSB including technical / logical validation of feasibility

• Need for good online configurator that distributors can provide to channel partners and enable and manage local pricing.

• Functionality from the online configurator should be provided in VP.

• Produkt configuration with VP is okay, higher technical depth like OpenSmartDesigner would be desirable.

• We have to buy additional tools for calculation & design and quick price calculation in Germany

• For Portugal don't exist the presales tools - All competitors have configurators and presales support for Portugal.

• Provide the configuration tool Visual Project free of charge

• We need a configuration tool in the portal that directly allows orders from the same portal (spanish respondent)
  

• Online Configurator (8 responses)
  

• Product Configurator takes too long to use

• Online Configurator is quite laboriuous (umständlich)
  

• Download configurations with GPL prices

• Product configurator is very old, does not support Windows 7 and 8
  

• Do not know any partner that uses the Product Configurator - probably because partners to not want to start dealing with it

• Need to try a product configurator - would be nice option
  

• Where can I find the product configurator

• We do not have access in Brazil

• Presales (5 responses)
  

• OSIRIS - FAQ is not comprehensive enough

• Never been able to submit a question to OSIRIS and get the answer back in a timely fashion without having to track it down 3 weeks later with my Channel Rep
  

• OSIRIS not used in Germany for resellers

• I do not know OSIRIS but if there is a tool to ask questions in pre-sales, I am interested (feedback in French, Portugal, Brazil, Denmark).
  

• Some template for multisite projects could be useful

• OSD2 would be important design tool and should be made available - independently form a central server to allow data exchange as a project file without online access to server
  

• Presales Training (2 responses)
  

• More consultant orientated training courses WBT, SVU and Classroom

• Training online for the Presales guys in Brazil but in Portuguese
  

• AVANT/ TI-Online (4 responses)
  

• More information and pictures would be nice

• More informationen on "obsolete" items, e.g. no longer shippable... or available via Spareparts logistic with respective link
  

• TI-Online needs to be reworked to improve clarity (Übersichtlichkeit) and latest search / filter functionality
  

• Avant/ TI Online page is out of service often
  

• Demo System (1 response)
  

• Resellers need to be given free versions of all software. Not for a limited period but full free versions so we can learn and play with the stuff.

10.1 How satisfied are you with the following partner program tools and processes?

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Respondents are least satisfied with the positions Partner Fund (29%), Demo System (28%), MarketingCONNECT* (27%), Deal Registration (26%), and Partner Locator (25%). Main free text comments refer to better communication & usability of those tools as well as easier access to demo systems and need to be shared to addressed to tool & process owners.

Many of these categories are core parts of the new Unify Partner Program and need to be distributed / used on a global scale.

* Note: There was an error in the online survey that MarketingCONNECT was labeled as Marketing Fund. The section was relabeled in the analysis but the number may be therefore misleading.

10.2 What is missing or should be improved in terms of "Partner Program Tools & Processes"? 

The 37 response(s) to this question can be found in the appendix.

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