Is this the most overlooked lever in cloud partnerships and marketplaces?

New data from Amazon Web Services (AWS) re:Invent 2024 reveals a direct correlation between competencies and partner revenue growth that's impossible to ignore.

Rishi Bhaskar, AWS Director of Public Sector Partner Sales, recommends partners aim for 4 competencies, backed by data showing those who do achieve 220% growth over two years.

Ruba Borno, VP of AWS Global Specialists and Partners, explained why this matters:

"87% of customers look at partner competencies to determine which partner to work with. The tech landscape is actually really complicated - they don't know who's an expert in what area, what industry, what products they want to work with."

This customer behavior isn't surprising - 74% of AWS customers review their partners' certifications at least twice annually. It's a clear signal that competencies aren't just badges; they're becoming essential criteria in vendor selection, including cloud marketplaces.

AWS is doubling down on this trend. "We have 119 partner specializations," notes Dr. Borno, "and we've invested in these because we learned that customers actually look at partner competencies."

They're now launching competencies simultaneously with new services - a first for AWS that signals deeper integration of partners into their core offerings.

The business case is compelling

The data shows a clear progression: partners with one competency achieve 179% growth, those with three reach 218%, and four competencies push it to 220%.

What's particularly interesting is how even gaining that first competency creates a significant uplift in growth.

Still, many companies don’t have competencies...

This disconnect between clear data and partner adoption raises an interesting question: Are we underestimating the ROI of investing in cloud competencies?