New, Changing Channel Programs: AWS, AT&T, Broadvoice, Cisco, Ingram Micro, Verizon
Every vendor seems to be highlighting its battle to end channel conflict, increase financial incentives and offer more MDF.
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NetFortris poured new investments into its channel program.
The company relaunched the program to feature four different partner tiers, each measured by monthly recurring revenue. Partners get access to MDF, SPIFFs and a partner portal.
Read more about NetFortris partner program expansion.
Opengear partners can more quickly obtain deal registration.
The network access and IT automation solution provider also introduced new customer and account mapping promotions. In addition, Opengear promoted two partners to elite status.
Get details on Opengear’s updated program.
AT&T underwent a significant cultural evolution in how it engaged with partners.
Chris Jones, associate vice president of channel Sales for the AT&T Alliance Channel and ACC Business, said he and his team invited their partners to share their unfiltered feedback. As a result of listening to the feedback, the vendor realigned its partner programs to create a special organization for technology solutions brokerages (TSBs). It also made multiple hires from other vendors in the channel.
“We’re a very proud company. And it’s not easy always to listen to things that you don’t do well. And so we very intentionally asked a lot of questions and then tried to listen and not get defensive,” Jones said.
See what Jones told Channel Futures about the evolution of AT&T’s partner programs.
Fusion Connect is expanding its channel presence in the central and western United States.
The company has listed 130% channel growth as its goal for the next two years. Executives said the company is moving out of “phase one,” where it worked to improve the experiences of its 27,000 customer. Now the carrier is working on its distribution channels.
“It’s really around expanding our channel to be closer to our partners so we can go out … and show them the value of the Fusion Connect technology stack and our differentiation,” Mario DeRiggi, Fusion Connect’s chief revenue officer, told Edward Gately.
Kong, which provides a service connectivity platform, launched the second generation of its partner program.
VARs and SIs will take advantage of the KongForce, which features an improved onboarding process and tailored resources. Executives said their partner ecosystem has grown grown 925% over the last three years.
Check out Claudia Adrien’s reporting.
Broadvoice‘s 90-day Customer Success Program should help ensure that partners’ customers stay happy.
So said Broadvoice executives, who launched the program in order to “ensure the customer lifetime value is maximized.” Customers participating in the program will receive a dedicated specialist who will keep tabs on them.
Get details on the program.
Network detection and response capabilities provider Netography is expanding its channel footprint.
The Maryland-based company will put a $45 million funding round to good use. In addition to bolstering its technology platform, the company will launch its first official channel program.
VARs, resellers, MSSPs and MDRs will be part of the program.
Edward Gately covered the launch.
LiveVox has juiced up its partner resources in 2021.
The vendor spent 56% more money on sales and marketing expenses in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the previous year. That number includes SPIFFs and channel commissions.
In addition, LiveVox has been expanding its team and its distribution partners. Take for example its recent partnership with AppSmart, which places LiveVox’s contact center solution on the AppSmart marketplace.
Read about the new partnership.
New Relic is moving from a regional to global channel program.
The application monitoring vendor has undergone a transformation to incentive a consumption-based model. The company is also working to eliminate all channel conflict, according to Riya Shanmugam, group vice president of global alliances and channels. Shanmugan recently joined the company from Google Cloud
13-year-old New Relic works with approximately 1,000 partners, and it is working to attract more partners who perform both resale and managed services.
Check out Kelly Teal’s interview with newly appointed Shanmugam.
Cisco listed a variety of changes to its channel program in conjunction with its partner summit.
Cisco, like many of its peers (hopefully all of them), is seeking to reduce complexity in the way it does business with partners. For example, a new enterprise agreement (EA) will make the resale and management process easier for partners.
Announced at the Cisco Partner Summit 2021 Tuesday, the vendor says the contract increases access to its portfolio and solutions. It claims to offer predictable costs, greater choice and flexibility for organizations looking to accelerate their digital transformation.
Later in November Cisco added developer and adviser roles to the partner program, in addition to integrators and providers.
Check out Christine Horton’s reporting from the Cisco Partner Summit.
The hyperscaler significantly expanded its partner engagement programs.
AWS added four new Partner Paths, building on the ISV path it previously launched. Now the Partner Paths are hardware, training, distribution and services.
Read Kelly Teal’s coverage of the re:Invent conference.
Aryaka Networks is aiming to move from 90% channel-driven to 100%.
So said Aryaka’s channel chief and vice president for the Americas, who introduced a number of changes to Aryaka’s partner program. He said the company has fully done away with protected accounts and is offering a flat rate for every solution.
In addition, Aryaka established a special program within the program, designed to hand off leads to partners that have demonstrated committment to the vendor.
Read about how Aryaka changed its approach to the channel.
Poly launched an authorized program that allows customers and partners to resell refurbished phones.
The program lets partners calculate what they can earn from returning CCX and VVX phones and receive rebates. Poly up until recently had not officially authorized partners to refurbish its devices.
Jeffrey Schwartz wrote about Poly.
Palo Alto Networks launched a program that helps its technology partners perform integrations.
Palo Alto’s vice president of technology partnerships said the Technology Partner Program offers a streamlined support structure and resources and tools that reportedly will help increase customer adoption.
Edward Gately has the scoop.
API security provider Noname Security introduced an international channel program.
VARs, system integrators, distributors, MSSPs and technology partners can join the Noname Unnamed Partner Program. They’ll access tailored onboarding, demand generation assets, discounts and a partner portal.
Learn more about Noname.
Low-code platform provider Webcon announced a new North American channel program.
Partners can access special resources for onboarding and channel marketing. Webcon is going after systems integrators who show an interest in designing complex business process management solutions.
See the article Claudia Adrien wrote about the program.
The distributor gave its vendor and resller partners an automated subscription life cycle platform.
Flexible Subscription Engine gives partners real-time visibility of the subscription lifecycle. In addition, they can utilize quoting, provisioning and billing.
Read about the other things the offering does.
Verizon is upping its investment into the channel.
So said Matthew Montgomery, managing director of Verizon Business Group. Montgomery proclaimed Verizon’s intentions to make partners a more crucial point of its go-to-market strategy.
Partners already knew that that Verizon had centralized their access to its wireless and wireline resources. In addition, Montgomery promised more market development funds (MDF) than ever.
Read about Montgomery’s pitch to partners.
Application security provider Reblaze launched a new channel program.
Resellers, MSSPs and other partner types can get priority access to sales and marketing collateral as well as other resources. Partners deploy the Reblaze platform in the public cloud to help ensure their customers’ web application security.
Read more about Reblaze and its partner program.
Application security provider Reblaze launched a new channel program.
Resellers, MSSPs and other partner types can get priority access to sales and marketing collateral as well as other resources. Partners deploy the Reblaze platform in the public cloud to help ensure their customers’ web application security.
Read more about Reblaze and its partner program.
AT&T, Cisco and several other big-name vendors updated their channel programs in the last month.
Several high-profile updates hit the channel last month as channel chiefs offered shockingly candid takes about how they want to improve the partner experience. Take for example, AT&T’s Chris Jones, who detailed the gauntlet of partner feedback that the carrier solicited before revamping its programs.
It’s clear that vendors are relying more and more on indirect sales – whether it be through a reseller or an agent – and indirect services – whether it be through an MSP or a systems integrator. We continue to see more and more MDF pouring into the channel as vendors seek to prove their financial commitment to partners.
While telcos like AT&T and Verizon made the headlines last month, the IT side of the channel grabbed attention as well, as AWS, Ingram Micro and a variety of cybersecurity providers announced new programs and partner enhancements.
Scroll through the 19 images above to see the latest channel partner program launches and updates.
Check out our October slideshow if you missed it.
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