VMware Partner Exchange (PEX) 2014 Preview: Toni Adams

VMware (VMW) Global Partner and Alliance Marketing Vice President Toni Adams sat down with The VAR Guy at VMworld 2013 to provide our readers with a sneak peak at topics of conversion for VMware Partner Exchange (PEX) 2014.

Adams agreed with VMware Channel Chief Dave O’Callaghan’s vision of simplicity, which operates around the three simple principles of probability, predictability and consistency, for partners, but he expanded, pointing to the way channel partners are categorized.

He, along with O’Callaghan, said that the virtualization company wants to move away from categorizing partners as value-added resellers (VARs), idependent software vendors (ISVs), system integrators (SIs) and etc. There are too many overlaps, and it confuses partners, Adams said.  

By moving away from a traditional approach, Adams said partners will be able to focus on value, not volume. The more partners invest in VMware, he said, the more they will be rewarded, moving up ranks of enrolled, professional, enterprise, and premier.

But Adams said this is only a vision — at the moment. He said the intent of the presentation was to preview a program to partners, as well as articulate how VMware could reward partners. The program, however, has not been finalized. 

Adams said O’Callaghan presented an example to partners that was based on the market of the solutions provider route to market, pointing to presentation as an example, adding that the company will do the same exercise for the other route to markets.

“When we come to PEX 2014, we’ll be able to reveal how that one program looks like,” he said. “It lives off the feedback from our partners and the due diligence that we will be doing over the next couple of months.”

Adams added that the program will also revolve around differentiation, which will give partners more benefits and more access to more customers, along more leads because partners are the ones most invested and the most qualified to fulfill this request.

We’re intrigued. But we’re also busy covering the here and now. Stay tuned for more updates from VMworld 2013.