Websense Activates Partner System

Websense’s partner program continues to march forward–rapidly. The VAR Guy hears that the company’s new Partner Relationship Management (PRM) system is off to a good start, increasing Websense’s billing and transaction numbers with channel partners.

Websense recruited about 100 new partners in its most recent quarter, but the company is working hard to make sure it properly supports new solutions providers as well as existing partners, according to Dave Roberts, VP of sales and channel, Americas.

The partners are assisting Websense’s evolution from a Web filtering company into a comprehensive security provider. In particular, Websense will emphasize its ability to stop information leakage–the movement of confidential information from within a company to external destinations.

Meanwhile, Websense is in the processes of hiring more SEs to “ensure we have enough technical resources for the channel,” Roberts says. At the same time, Websense is working to integrate its new PRM system with other back-end applications so that qualified leads are automatically distributed to partners. Websense is currently using a few manual workarounds until the integration work is completed.

Another big priority for 1Q 2007 is working more closely with the company’s distribution partner, Ingram Micro. “Adding a distributor to a business process is diffcult because you have the change the way you do business,” says Roberts. “Between the PRM system and the distribution partnership, this is probably the most difficult quarter in terms of training that our staff will experience. But the benefits will be immense.”

Overall, The VAR Guy is impressed with Roberts. While most technology executives paint positive pictures for the press, Roberts conceded that deploying the PRM system has been a stressful, challenging undertaking. But Roberts did sound upbeat about the company’s short- and long-term business prospects.