WatchGuard Launches Advanced Partner Education Program

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Network security provider WatchGuard Technologies Tuesday unveiled an advanced learning management system for its global channel community of more than 9,000 VARs and MSSPs.

WatchGuard’s Sean Price

The WatchGuard Learning Center is accessible from the WatchGuard partner portal, delivering personalized educational paths in sales readiness, channel enablement and technical trainings through a web-based learning environment that can be accessed at any time and from anywhere.

“Partner training has always been the foundation of the WatchGuardONE program,” said Sean Price, WatchGuard’s senior president of worldwide sales. “The more trainings our channel partners achieve, the more WatchGuard rewards their efforts. As the industry and technology continue to evolve, so do the products and services we offer, as well as the tools and resources we make available to our partners. The WatchGuard Learning Center sets the stage to further enable our channel community as trusted advisers to our joint customers, with more personalized ways to learn than ever before.”

Since implementing the WatchGuardONE partner program, WatchGuard’s partners have experienced a nearly 40 percent growth in revenue. Through the new WatchGuard Learning Center, partners can choose personalized training paths and complete courses available both live and on demand, allowing them to grow and maintain their WatchGuardONE partner status, while automatically tracking their progress.

WatchGuard said it has made significant investments in its partner portal to provide partners with a one-stop-shop for enablement tools and resources. Partners benefit from a centralized hub for managing their business with the company, including business visibility tools, marketing funds management, integrated marketing campaigns, renewals and deal registration, automated lead dispatch and opportunities management, it said.

Now with the new learning system, all WatchGuard channel partners can manage their personalized training experiences.

“The reason I chose to partner with WatchGuard over 10 years ago is simple — they value their channel partners unlike any other company in the industry,” said Don Gulling, president of Verteks Consulting. “The level of support I get from WatchGuard – including the account management team, the technical and sales trainings, channel enablement tools, and so much more – is truly a game-changer for my business. While the company has grown significantly in recent years, their unwavering commitment to partner relationships has not changed.”

Last week, WatchGuard announced it has acquired Percipient Networks, a developer of automated security offerings for small and midsize organizations.