Q&A With XO Channel Chief Brian Law

In February XO Communications Inc. named Brian Law as its vice president of indirect channels, filling a post vacated by the resignation of Jim Delis. Law has been at XO for more than 10 years, the past two as vice president of sales for the central region, where he oversaw business and enterprise sales for the company in 10 major metropolitan markets across seven states. Law has had oversight of direct and indirect channel sales for XO since the company moved responsibility for the channel to local markets in 2006. PHONE+ interviewed Law in late May about his first few months as channel chief and his plans for the XO partner program. 

PHONE+: Since you most recently came from a direct sales role, can you explain your channel experience?

Brian Law: I’ve had channel responsibility for more than five years at XO Communications, both as a general manager of our Tennessee, Missouri and North Carolina markets and then as vice president of XO’s Central Region where I managed our direct and indirect sales teams for the entire central United States. Within our sales regions, the direct and indirect sales teams report to the local market and regional sales leaders. So, I have worked closely with our indirect sales teams and channel partners for many years.

P+: How has the combination of those experiences impacted your channel leadership?

Law: Leading direct sales teams with month-to-month revenue, sales and retention targets, I have an appreciation of the more tangible business and financial aspects of being a sales leader. With the channel, the focus is more on the relationship aspect of the transaction, enabling your partners to get the quote they need as fast as possible, working with them to build the best solution and getting the 360 [-degree] feedback to improve how you support them on a day-to-day basis. So, my channel leadership style is to see those as two sides of the same coin.

P+: How have you found running channel sales different?

Law: It’s more relationship-oriented and having the right team in place with that customer-first mentality. If you don’t have that focus, partners will just go elsewhere. It takes a lot of time to build that trust. Our goal is to be the best and be partners’ carrier of choice.

P+: Has the program been changed in any way since you took over?