Vonage Unveils New Partner Network, Aims to Draw MSPs, ISVs, SIs, VARs

**Editor’s Note: Vonage cracked our list of 20 top UCaaS providers you should know. See who else made it.**

Vonage Tuesday rolled out its new Partner Network aimed at helping partners solve their customers’ communication needs with its unified-communications services and embedded, contextual communications APIs.

Vonage said it recognized the need for a specific program to help partners capitalize on this combination of cloud communications technology. Partners now can offer customers “innovative ways to collaborate more productively and to engage their customers in more meaningful ways to create better business outcomes,” according to the company.said.

Bob Crissman

Vonage has 25 channel managers on staff and already is working with 30 of the largest master agents in the nation, “harnessing a network of 20,000 subagents and nearly 1,500 contracted agents,” it said.

With the new program, Vonage will focus on creating new partnerships with MSPs, ISVs, SIs and VARs.

“Vonage is redefining how channel partners are served in our industry and is providing them with unique technology solutions that deliver better business outcomes for customers,” said Bob Crissman, Vonage’s senior vice president and channel chief. “Our channel partners are instrumental to our company’s growth and the Vonage Partner Network will ensure everything we do – from the development of our products and solutions to our sales, support and marketing frameworks – supports them.”

The new program includes four levels of engagement for Vonage partners — platinum, gold, silver and emerging. Each level includes a set of benefits, rewards and tools to augment partners’ sales efforts. Performance-based incentives and revenue growth-recognition thresholds provide flexibility to “quickly advance across the tiers, earn more, and expand revenue potential and market reach with agility,” Vonage said.

PlanetOne’s Ted Schuman

New incentives and resources are being added for partners, including: a new partner portal; access to Vonage’s entire product portfolio, including services offered through Nexmo, the Vonage API platform; and new business leads, along with rewards and recognition, and a customized, residual-selling model designed to help partners grow their businesses.

“The new partner network is a game changer for Vonage and will help create a halo effect for its channel partners, including master agents,” said Ted Schuman, founder and CEO of PlanetOne Communications, one of Vonage’s partners. “With more than 300 Vonage salespeople on deck and ready to work with us, we can easily tap into the talent we need and not only increase the number of at bats for our Vonage channel partners, but more importantly, show them how by working together we can hit more home runs.”