iValue underscoring the need to work in unison with vendors to achieve common goals

R VENKATESH
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER, IVALUE GROUP

One of the key challenges that iValue encounters is the varied  understanding  among  SaaS vendors of the distribution ecosystem’s role in market expansion. “Some vendors are still building direct-first go-to-market strategies and overlook how distributors like us can accelerate their reach, particularly in high-growth sectors and across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets,” cites R Venkatesh, Chief Revenue Officer, iValue Group. “This lack of alignment limits their market visibility and growth potential.

As a strategic technology advisor, we aim to bridge this gap—by not just offering logistics and transactions, but by creating value through solutioning, co-selling, and lifecycle support.”

SUPPORT FROM VENDORS

According to Venkatesh, while the ecosystem is maturing, there’s still room for improvement—particularly around transparency and tooling. “Vendors need to offer more granular and timely reporting on subscription usage, renewals, and overages. The data is important for billing accuracy and optimization of resource consumption for our customers. When we have real-time insights, we can plan better, deliver faster, and drive higher satisfaction across the lifecycle. We also value enablement platforms that help with partner onboarding, training, and collaborative deal management,” he says.

At the same time, with the pace of technology innovation and the increasing complexity of digital transformation projects, skill development is becoming critical. “Our OEM partners continue to be instrumental in this area, providing us with product certifications, technical workshops, and hands-on labs. Through our iAcademy, we complement this with structured training tracks focused on high-impact areas such as cloud architecture, DevSecOps, cybersecurity, and information lifecycle management. 

Given the ongoing cybersecurity skill shortage in India, we have placed particular emphasis on closing that gap—training both our teams and our partners to manage modern threat landscapes confidently,” explains Venkatesh. iValue has been using a variety of automation and digital platforms across functions such as partner engagement, deal registration, compliance, and operations. These tools have significantly improved its internal efficiency and partner visibility. “However, digital maturity across the vendor ecosystem needs to be more uniform for the benefits to be fully realized,” points out Venkatesh.