ESET Updates Partner Connect Program with New Benefits

ESET has updated its Partner Connect Program with new features to help partners onboard, drive new business, increase brand loyalty and reward mutual success.

The Partner Connect Program is for MSPs, VARs, network service providers and distributor partners. It offers a tiered structure that fits the partner’s business with stackable margins and simple training resources, according to the company.

Hope McCluskey, director of channel marketing for ESET North America, said her company’s philosophy is to “continue to innovate and deliver unique differentiated value back to our partners and ensure we meet the ever-changing needs of the channel.”

ESET's Hope McCluskey

“Our team is constantly refining the partner program and brainstorming new offerings, tools and partnerships,” she said. “We also formally update the program annually to ensure it reflects current market demands.”

Partner Feedback Guided Partner Connect Program Update

Throughout the year, ESET fields feedback from partners in a few different ways, McCluskey said.

“We survey partners through third-party services to get a read on the market and broader market requirements,” she said. “For over eight years, we have met with our partner council on a quarterly basis – including partners of different types and sizes – to run partner program changes and ideas through them. Finally, we have a number of trusted partners that we work one-on-one with, bouncing ideas off them, beta testing potential programs and more. For instance, the renewal rebate incentives were run through a number of our partners to ensure the changes supported their business objectives.”

As part of the updated program, ESET has created an annual rebate to incentivize renewals. For gold and silver partners who maintain an 80% renewal rate, they can earn up to 5% back. The program works hand in hand with ESET’s renewal-as-a-service (RaaS) program that drives renewals and upgrade campaigns for channel partners with limited resources.

Targeted for renewals fewer than 100 seats, RaaS allows ESET channel partners to stay focused on larger deals and new business, while reaching their renewal goals.

Ease of Partnering with ESET

Within the program, ESET offers a 90-day onboarding and training program that includes product training and sales certifications for new partners.

“One of the pillars of the ESET program is to make sure partnering with ESET is easy for new and existing partners,” McCluskey said. “As such, we are constantly looking at ways to simplify the partner program – including deal registration, marketing resources or new tools. Our white-glove onboarding service also ensures new partners can quickly get up to speed with bite-sized training and certifications. And our MSP partners get two hours of installation into their environment, allowing our teams to proactively answer questions partners have now to help ensure they don’t have issues later down the road.”

In addition, ESET is relaunching its North America partner locator tool as a premium resource for ESET gold partners. This feature ensures businesses can identify and reach out to top ESET channel partners who offer a range of ESET security solutions and services.

“Our program is really designed from the ground up with channel competitive advantage in mind,” McCluskey said. “By offering incumbency protection, we ensure partners can secure and protect their existing business year over year. And our new partner locator helps companies find the right partner in their region.”