Channel Program Updates: Dell, Verizon, AWS, Mitel
These changes target agents, VARs, MSPs and MSSPs.
![Emerging technology in digital business transformation Emerging technology in digital business transformation](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/bltd68a903ab1fedc3d/6524524a8d0db3887119350d/Business-Digital-Transformation-1.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Shutterstock
The New York-based carrier is recommitting itself to channel partners.
That’s according to Wendy Taccetta, who recently assumed channel chief duties. She is working to integrate partner feedback as Verizon consolidates its partner program.
Taccetta introduced herself and her vision in a Q&A with Channel Futures.
The public cloud giant offers “open arms” to agent partners.
That’s according to Doug Yeum, head of worldwide channels and alliances. Although Amazon Web Services has not formalized a specific approach to the agent model, Yeum said he would welcome a discussion.
“For me, it’s about listening to what partners are trying to accomplish. We want to play an important role in helping them transform,” he said.
Kelly Teal landed the juicy scoop.
The cloud-based phone systems provider made big changes to its partner rewards structure.
Mitel now awards the same amount of points for cloud and on-site installations. Such a change reflects the challenges that traditional partners, especially those outside of North America and Europe, face in fully adopting an opex model.
Mitel also giving partners points for participating in trainings.
Kelly Teal reported the changes.
Dell Technologies offered new incentives for its midrange storage portfolio.
Partners will earn a higher front-end discount if they sell eligible PowerStore or PowerScale solutions.
Indirect sales hit new heights in 2020, according to Cheryl Cook, the company’s channel leader.
See what Cook told Christine Horton about partner accomplishments.
Juniper Networks is incentivizing its partners to target enterprise customers.
As a result, the Juniper Partner Advantage Program includes more rebates. Partners can start earning money as soon as they register deals.
In addition, Juniper is seeking to add partners that only serve the enterprise.
Craig Galbraith wrote about the initiative.
The former Frontier Communications division launched its first agent program.
Ziply Fiber formed after WaveDivision Capital bought Frontier’s Northwest operations and assets. It covers Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. Now more than 20 partners, including AppSmart and Telarus, belong to the program.
Edward Gately has the scoop.
Red Hat will sell with, rather than to, partners.
The IBM-owned open source software company is pivoting from its “distribution-oriented” strategy. Red Hat created a landing credit compensation model that establishes more synergies with ISV partners and localized Red Hat sales teams.
Red Hat also added an acceleration bonus.
Christine Horton wrote about the changes.
The Chicago-based firm is helping its subagent partners sell more consultatively.
Partners had requested vendor-neutral training, and Avant acquiesced. The company’s Trusted Advisor Academy now features certification courses that take a supplier-agnostic approach.
The courses touch on UCaaS, security and several other technologies.
The cloud services provider launched a consortium that helps MSPs connect to previously unreachable locations.
The Zadara Federated Edge lets participating MSPs standardize on a common platform so that they can pool their resources with one another.
“The capability to have end users accessing and deploying workloads in hundreds of locations without the need to have individual contracts with every MSP will drastically accelerate the edge cloud market and will definitely benefit every MSP,” CEO Nelson Nahum said.
Check out Nahum’s additional commentary.
Samsung‘s updated partner portal reflects the integration of multiple partner programs.
The vendor last year brough its B2B mobile, commercial SSD and display business programs together. The new unified portal helps partners “break through the silos.” That’s according to Samsung’s vice president of display sales.
“… we brought that together, enabling a partner to just go to one location to be able to access the programs and the materials needed to make that happen,” he said.
Read Jeffrey Schwartz’s story if you’d like to learn more.
The hybrid cloud solutions provider added a partner portal.
Otava, which generates about half of its business from the channel, enhanced its program to meet partner demand for more hands-on resources. For example, the company unveiled 150 enablement tools.
Partners interact with Otava as agents, resellers and white label/wholesalers.
Learn more about Otava.
The network security provider is giving out new deal registration discounts.
FireMon is using its latest financial incentives to protect partners who pursue subscription-based deals. FireMon also launched new spiffs.
Get background on how FireMon’s channel has been growing.
The cybersecurity company is courting MSSPs.
Cybereason’s new program gives partners help with service creation, onboarding and revenue-generation support. The vendor took advanced service delivery support it had developed for large partners and adapted it for a variety of partner sizes.
Read about Cybereason’s channel strategy.
The Romania-based cybersecurity company is rewarding partners for building customer relationships.
The new incumbency program incentivizes resellers to drive license renewal. In addition, Bitdefender invested in new tools and support.
See how Bitdefender enhanced its channel strategy.
Ericsson‘s move to serve more than just service providers opens up opportunity for the channel.
The company will be developing relationships with distributors and master agents. Dan Foster, a well known name in the channel from his stint at MegaPath, will lead these efforts.
Learn about how agents and other partners will benefit from the change.
The cybersecurity provider upgraded its partner program to give partners more technical competency.
The “cloud-first” program gives more deal registration discounts and now uses a flat standard discount model for compensation.
One executive said partners can earn up to a 15% increase in their margins.
Read Edward Gately’s story.
The digital risk protection provider launched a channel program.
The program contains three tiers and an increased number of support personnel. ZeroFox is aiming to double its partner business in 2021.
Learn more about ZeroFox.
The data center services provider launched its first VAR program.
The new SoftIron + Co program seeks to make partners as “enabled and capable” as SoftIron’s internal team. SoftIron’s vice president of business development and channel said the company took a more “open” approach to channel programs.
Read about why the new program is different.
Schneider Electric is helping partners build a managed power services practice.
The company is looking for partners that remotely monitor and manage their customers’ physical infrastructure. That infrastructure includes power, cooling, environmental and physical security.
Read about the rebates and resources in the program.
The multicloud security company announced its first partner program.
The program offers margin protection on early deals and “strong deal registration.” Fortanix had been working with resellers, but many partners have been requesting an official channel structure.
Scott Hoard, Fortanix’s new area vice president of Americas channels, will lead the organization.
Read about the new program.
The active directory monitoring provider formalized its partner program.
Semperis’ board and senior management elected to launch a “global channel sales strategy,” according to the company’s vice president of global channels and alliances.
“Our partners, in many cases, own strong relationships with medium and large global enterprises that would otherwise take us years to nurture and develop,” he said.
Learn more about Semperis.
The contact center quality assurance provider launched a channel program.
Newly founded master agency CX Effect joined five other companies that can resell the vendor’s portfolio. In addition, Playvox hired a vice president of channels.
Read the announcement Playvox made.
Cambium Networks is tackling health care with its new partner program.
More than 50 VARs and SIs belong to the ConnectedPartner program, which reflects Cambium’s increased focus on health care. These partners, who had already developed a health care practice, provided feedback for the program.
Read about what the program provides.
The endpoint-to-cloud security provider founded a new channel program.
Lookout changed its six-year-old program from three tiers to two. In addition, the company updated its partner portal and planned a new certification training platform
Lookout recently acquired CipherCloud.
Edward Gately covered the update.
The endpoint-to-cloud security provider founded a new channel program.
Lookout changed its six-year-old program from three tiers to two. In addition, the company updated its partner portal and planned a new certification training platform
Lookout recently acquired CipherCloud.
Edward Gately covered the update.
Ericcson‘s expanding channel program and Mitel‘s new partner rewards structure highlight the latest updates in the indirect technology sales channel.
Big changes are afoot in the channel. More and more vendors are turning to the channel to drive their growth. They recognize partners’ invaluable capacity to help them scale globally and are making strides to attract these technology advisers. From young cybersecurity startups to large carriers like Verizon, companies are seeking to implement partner feedback. Dell announced new incentives on some of its storage products, and Intel detailed its new partner program. Indeed, multiple companies announced new partner programs during the month of April.
In addition, AWS’ channel chief made an intriguing comment about opportunities public cloud holds for agent partners.
We’ve included stories from the IT and telecom sides of the channel and everything in between. If we were to cover all of channel program changes that occurred last month, all the pages on the internet couldn’t contain the words.
For example, Acronis announced a new partner portal, enterprise storage provider Infinidat rolled out an accreditation program and digital optimization system Amplitude launched a program for solution partners and technology integrators. We also heard an update from Check Point’s channel chief.
Each month we recap some of the biggest announcements pertaining to indirect sales channel organizations. Missed our previous programs gallery? Check out our recap of March channel updates.
Scroll through the slideshow above to see the latest partner program updates in business technology.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like