Channel Partners Expanding Horizons to Accelerate the Growth of OEMs
Channel partner programs are important for OEMs as those help to accelerate growth by scaling sales, reaching new markets and customer segments. Channel partners also elevate the company’s offering to better solve customer problems, leverage additional reach and trust from recognized brands and reduce the cost of acquiring new customers.
A channel partner ecosystem is the evolution of traditional channel programs that add value throughout the distribution chain into a go-to-market strategy. It involves a more collaborative and innovative use of various product and service providers to deliver on the entire customer's experience with a manufacturer's product. A successful partner ecosystem strategy is one that optimizes existing partner relationships and establishes new relationships where value creation is required to meet rising consumer demands. Industry leaders build their partner ecosystem around two kinds of partners: the ones who influence the sale and the other who helps retain the business.
Customer experience is also becoming an important metric. As partners increasingly develop hybrid business models shifting towards software, subscription and services, incremental benefits can center on partner activities related to customer adoption and post-sales services. To effectively scale a partner program, recognizing regional differences and similarities is also crucial.
A Channel Partner Program is a strategy to motivate and engage channel partners to create more value for customers. Transformation requires upfront capital and time investments to create seamless collaboration between humans and systems, as well as between networks.
Let’s find out what is in store for the channel partners from the OEMs.
CommScope’s partner program offers greater profitability and a go-to market engagement model
Kalyan Deep Ray
National Channel Manager, Enterprise Sales, India & SAARC, CommScope
Importance of Partner Program
The Partner Program forms an integral part of our business and as a channel-oriented organization, we build strategic partnerships and alliances, so that we can broaden our offerings and deliver a more complete set of solutions and expertise for shared customers, and collectively drive greater impact within the wider ecosystem.
Working together with our partners and customers, CommScope advances broadband, enterprise and wireless networks to power progress amidst today’s increasingly disruptive world and create lasting connections.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
Partnership enables us to be among the first to offer our customers the latest technologies and innovative solutions. Our partners will enjoy the technology and support needed to secure and complete larger and more profitable projects. This is a win-win situation for all as we work together for better results for the customer, and better partnership with the experts we count on to deploy our solutions.
Channel strategy of the company
With more than 10,000 partners worldwide, CommScope’s partner program and initiatives empower the channel with best-in-class technology along with robust sales enablement and marketing support. Our partner program offers greater profitability and a go-to market engagement model which provides partners with unique insight enablement and demand generation.
Beyond incentivized programs to recognize and reward our partner; sales enablement and engagement for valued partners, CommScope’s PartnerPro Program also looks to provide extensive resources and training for channel partners to elevate their marketing and technical expertise, to help build a trusted and mutually profitable relationship. These resources include technical training and support, and marketing tools that allow partners to keep customers and end-users agile, future-ready and able to respond to any network challenge.
With its unique and robust partner programs SonicWall is dedicated to grow
Debasish Mukherjee
Vice President, Regional Sales, APJ, SonicWall
Importance of Partner Program
As a 100% partner-oriented company, we believe that they are the extension of our company, the obvious go-to market route for us. Therefore, we lay great emphasis on processes and programs, making them well structured, highly rewarding, and educating for our partners. No doubt, these programs need to be dynamic and evolving to respond to changing market needs as well as meet channel aspirations.
Percentage of the channel business
We are a 100% channel driven company and our business is front ended by some of the best in the industry across our business regions in 215 countries. Our ultimate aim is to provide our partners with everything they need in order to not only meet their yearly objectives but exceed them.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
SonicWall’s partner programs have evolved a great deal since their inception, and today’s programs are more comprehensive and offer more benefits than ever before. The Partner Enabled Services Program at SonicWall, is designed to accelerate highly profitable service opportunities for our SecureFirst Partners. Through training and enablement resources, this program equips partners to deliver specialized security services including design, implementation, configuration and training to optimize their customers’ SonicWall investments.
Channel strategy of the company
Today, as companies look to digitally transform their businesses, their focus is shifting toward solutions that deliver complete business outcomes, creating a unique window of opportunity for strategic partnerships. SonicWall has been way ahead in this area, with unique and robust partner programs in place. In 2020, SonicWall’s MSSP program was modernized to empower MSSPs with the resources and tools they need to protect their customers while improving operational efficiency and costs. SonicWall relies on its expansive base to fuel its momentum and is dedicated to continuing to grow programs like these to further meet the needs of our partners in the future.
Veeam Software promises partners to help them grow their business
Amarish Karnik
Channel Director, India & SAARC, Veeam Software
Importance of Partner Program
Veeam is a firm believer that the success of our partners reflects on our success as an organization. We continuously strive to bring constant innovation to our product portfolio as well as our partner programs to stay relevant in the industry. We have seen a change in the market dynamics and hence our partner programs are always innovative and relevant. This is also because we understand how important it is to have simple and flexible partner programs that meet the unique needs of a varied partner network.
Percentage of the channel business
We are a 100% channel company. The biggest component to our go to market strategy is that we rely on our partners. Our growth strategy makes it very attractive for our resellers to work with us as we grow and help them grow their business around the complementary services. The second component is around making sure to help them deliver services. Our service provider business (VCSP business) is another area where we’re seeing significant expansion. “Your success is our mission” is the foundation of our channel programs and our promise to our partners.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
At Veeam, we want to help our partners add greater value and build more strategic relationships with our customers. Constant innovation to our partner programmes, developing appropriate skill sets, upskilling staff, and identifying additional revenue streams with software and services has become paramount, and Veeam is constantly thriving to support its partners on their journey to digital transformation.
Channel strategy of the company
Veeam is constantly innovating and at the forefront of delivering solutions that help customers and partners accelerate their data protection journey. At Veeam, our partner programs are aimed at empowering all our partners to thrive in the evolving business landscape and better respond to customer demands. We collaborate closely with our partners to help them gain a better understanding of Veeam's solutions while also learning about their technical abilities and areas of expertise.
Palo Alto Networks constantly enhancing market coverage by scaling up the VAR network
Krithiwas Neelakantan
Channel & Alliances Leader, Palo Alto Networks
Importance of Partner Program
Our business in the India and SAARC regions is completely partner-led and our partners are integral to our business plan and execution in these regions. As a result, our partner program is designed to drive customer centricity, business value, and a competitive advantage in the industry. Our NextWave 3.0 Partner Program provides partners with an array of specialized products and services which provide them and our customers a competitive edge. We also encourage partners to integrate these products and services into their own operations.
Percentage of the channel business
Our channel partner ecosystem is thriving globally across all key performance indicators, including partner-initiated bookings, pipeline, and new customers. In terms of success stories, our partners have completed 7300 security lifecycle reviews, 12400 Best practice assessments and 5900 customer evaluations. As of FY21, they have helped us onboard 7500 new customers and have grown their technical certifications by more than 18,000, clocking a 23% year-on-year increase.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
Our ecosystem of partners includes VARs who provide focussed, solution-driven outcomes for our customers. We constantly enhance our market & industry coverage by scaling up our VAR network. Recently, we partnered with Infosys to enable global organizations to secure hybrid cloud infrastructure from a single unified platform, while maximizing existing investments and integrating Secure-Access Service Edge and Zero-Trust architecture components with our Cortex XSOAR offering. We also partnered with Tech Mahindra to create specialized industry solutions that will offer complete visibility and control of the network, endpoint, and cloud security.
Channel strategy of the company
Currently, our partners are broadening their horizons and are servicing customers with a variety of products instead of the sole offering, thus making them full-fledged business consultants that provide long-term security. On the customer front, demand is strong and not exclusive to security. Adopters are looking to secure their systems and networks and maintain respectable levels of convenience and automation to deal with a digital-first world.
Check Point’s mission is to provide the finest security while also giving possibilities for partners to grow and become more successful
Manish Alshi
Head of Channels and Growth Technologies - India & SAARC, Check Point Software Technologies
Importance of Partner Program
In 2022, Check Point partners can expect an evolved partner program, rewarding partners for selling new solutions to existing and new customers. Businesses leverage Check Point’s CloudGuard solutions for faster and more effective cloud security operations with unified language, detailed forensics, and pain-free compliance and governance, and Rugged DevOps practices. Partners are the key to Check Point’s growth strategy. We are continuing to make strides in creating and executing the best partner experience in the areas of predictability, profitability, and ease of doing business. In 2022, we're aiding partners in developing new markets through the Infinity, SMB and MSSP programmes, in order to achieve best-in-class deal protection and partner profits.
Percentage of the channel business
Check Point is a 100-percent channel-driven company.In India, Check Point aims to be the most preferred and profitable cybersecurity solutions vendor for its partners. At Check Point, we firmly believe that the partner ecosystem is critical to scaling our business and view our partners in India as an extension of our team. This also means extending resources available internally for our employees to our partners, ensuring that we are all equipped to succeed together. Our training and certification program through online and in-person partner enablement platforms offers partners best-in-class training courses to assess, sell, deploy, and support security solutions. We also offer one of the best professional services training and shadowing programs in the industry.
Channel strategy of the company
Check Point’s mission is to provide the finest security while also giving possibilities for partners to grow and become more successful. Our current Partner Program is centered on activity-based tier criteria that reward partners for taking actions that strengthen their bond with customers. Basically, partners are assigned to various tiers based on their technical proficiencies & sales engagements. The program also rewards partners for supporting Check Point Software’s solutions with their value-add Professional Services and MSSP initiatives, helping them to reap further benefits from innovating and optimizing the overall customer experience.
Oracle Partner Network equips partners to help customers leverage cloud
Siddharth Idnani
Head - Alliances & Channels, Oracle India
Importance of Partner Program
Oracle’s partner ecosystem is an important extension of our own teams and is regarded as critical enablers– with whom we jointly meet customers’ business goals. Oracle’s modern Oracle Partner Network (OPN) is aimed at equipping our partners with the right tools to ultimately help customers leverage cloud, drive innovation and ensure optimization of their IT infrastructure. We have optimized the program with three different cloud tracks: Build Track, Sell Track and Service Track along with Licence & Hardware Track.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
On selection of a track, a partner is provided a set of targeted enablers that aim at accelerating their growth. These could include test demo environments, unlimited cloud learning subscriptions, technical assistance, skills transfer and more. We focus on ensuring that our OPN members gather all the important know-how, tools and resources which will support in assisting our customers’ business transformation. Additionally, we have also the Key Partner Initiative that aims at building long-term partnerships with Global Software Integrators (SI) and regional SIs.
Channel strategy of the company
Currently partners contribute to a significant part of our global transactions. We have the widest and most comprehensive range of cloud services that our partners can bring to their customers: from IaaS, PaaS to full suite of SaaS and even industry specific SaaS solutions. Partners can also benefit from the widest choice of deployment modes and control modes to fit any customers' requirements and expectations. Partners can definitely benefit from Oracle's more than 400,000 installed base customers, many of whom are enterprises who need good, reliable and highly customized cloud solutions as they start to pivot to the cloud.
Nutanix aims to simplify engagement of channel ecosystem as much as possible
Harsh Vaishnav
Head of Channels, India & SAARC, Nutanix
Importance of Partner Program
According to Nutanix’s recent Enterprise Cloud Index report, by 2025– 58 percent of India’s enterprises envision running a hybrid-only environment, to truly benefit from evolving technologies and enable long-term business agility. The intent of businesses in India is clear –they plan to adopt the best technology and solutions to succeed in the new normal. Nutanix’s channel ecosystem is best placed to cater to this need. Our goal is to simplify engagement for our channel ecosystem as much as possible, so our partners can focus on helping customers move to multicloud environments.
Percentage of the channel business
Channel partners continue to be crucial for our business in India with the rise of the current subscription and consumption-based economy, where Everything-as-a-Service is the new imperative. Partners play a pivotal role in swiftly adjusting to subscriptions to meet the increasing customer demand and this has forever altered the conventional channel-vendor relationship. Channel partners must focus on providing customers with a cloud experience so that they can migrate their apps and databases. Nutanix has successfully transitioned to software and subscription-based models which help our customers focus on innovation and their core business.
Channel strategy of the company
By removing any complexity in engagement, our channel programmes will enable partners to increase their focus on customers and drive truly transformational results. Therefore, our partner programs including Elevate and the Nutanix Elevate Service Provider Program (NESPP) simplify engagement for the entire partner ecosystem using a consistent set of tools, resources, and marketing platforms provided in the new Nutanix Partner Portal – making it easier for partners to outline their path to success. Nutanix is 100 percent channel-driven in India, and our channel ecosystem is our partner in the truest sense- together, we drive enormous, positive business impact for customers.
Infoblox helping partners expand their cloud businesses successfully
Rajeev Sreedhar
MD, India and SAARC, Infoblox
Importance of Partner Program
Infoblox partner program is the central element of our go-to-market strategy in India. Over the past 12 months, we have worked closely with our partners, to develop channel sales, marketing and training programs that promote success and fuel business expansion. A top priority for Infoblox has been helping partners meet the needs of their customers in the post-pandemic world by providing them with the technology, training and talent they require to transform their customers’ infrastructure into more secure and scalable cloud-first environments.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
It is without a doubt that VARs are an integral part of Infoblox’s success in India. They are at the forefront of engagement with the end-customers. They help to co-create a market with us. They help educate the market on what Infoblox can do. As you know, India is a large and diverse country having a large SMB, enterprise and the government market. We have partners who specialise in reaching specific customer segments like SMBs and enterprises. Some partners are focused on specific verticals like the BFSI and Government. We have different sets of partners like National SIs, Regional SIs and local partners who have their own set of capabilities and reach. We are focused on working with a set of partners who specialise in providing cloud-first network and security services. They help us provide the market coverage and support customers’ with skilled and trained manpower.
Channel strategy of the company
Our partner program is designed to help our partners reach new and attractive customer segments and geographies. It has helped to unlock next-horizon growth opportunities. For e.g. Infoblox is helping partners expand their cloud businesses and drive success by effectively marketing, selling and supporting SaaS-based solutions. Additional partner benefits include double-digit sales incentives, exclusive training and education offerings, as well as executive insights and peer-to-peer learnings. We continue to deepen our partner engagement focusing on large-scale enterprises across manufacturing, healthcare, IT& ITS, BFSI and Government as we see them as key growth sectors.
A10 Networks strongly believes in enabling and empowering their partners
Anthony Webb, VP International, A10 Networks
Importance of Partner Program
The evolution of new technologies is driving organizations to rapidly accelerate their digital transformation journey to enhance business growth. This has compelled businesses to shift their focus towards delivering comprehensive business outcomes. A10 Networks believes one of the best ways to grow our business is by being a preferred partner to our customers in helping them ensure digital resiliency, and by building a dedicated set of channel partners who are leaders in the marketplace. Hence, it has become essential that every organization develops partner programs to focus support and resources towards our partners helping them throughout the sales cycle to ensure the best possible support and resources are provided to them to expand their customer base. This in turn underpins our ongoing business growth and allows us to generate new business and revenue.
Building our ecosystem and partner network is key to our ongoing success. Our primary focus is partnering with players who are strong in key verticals and can bring talent and expertise to our customers. We strongly believe in enabling and empowering our partners and strive to provide them with the best possible support, tools and resources.
Appointment of VARs/partners as an integral part of the GTM strategy
Channel partners play a very fundamental role when it comes to our company’s go-to-market strategy. The channel partners ensure business continuity by delivering security services to ensure applications and cloud platforms are secure and performing at optimal levels. They learn new skills to work in line with the market needs. A10 Networks is focused on working with partners who have specialist vertical market capabilities. We continually work towards identifying the right partners, addressing the right gap in the right vertical market. We currently have five key channel initiatives,including developing our distribution relationships, deal registration, partner ecosystem, organic leads, and channel enablement.
We strongly believe in enabling and empowering our partners and strive to provide them with the best possible support, tools, and resources. For this reason, we work with partners to understand their vertical expertise, their technical abilities, and their strength, thereafter we formulate a unique joint business model and establish KPIs so together we can best address customers’ needs. Accommodating the varying needs of different partners and providing incentives, training and certification programs help develop a relationship that is more collaborative and empowering than just being focused on the transactional element of business.
Channel strategy of the company
Channel partners are central to A10 Networks’ plans considering that the majority of our business is transacted through channel partners. In 2021, we witnessed channel growth in the EMEA/SAARC region, and we expect growth in 2022 as well. We have also made huge investments in our partner ecosystem and our Affinity Partner Programme over the last year or so. Our Affinity Partner Programme is designed to foster growth of channel partners who are leaders in the marketplace. We invest heavily in the development and training of our partners to ensure high levels of expertise both from a technical and sales perspective. Our service provider and enterprise customers continue to look to A10 Networks to ensure their applications are secure and available. Over and above that we also offer other benefits to our partners including –
· Training and certification: We support our partners by setting up relevant training and providing them certifications so they can continue to be a trusted advisor to their customers.
· Deal registration: We have deal registration incentives running to ensure partners register leads in line with our areas of focus and business growth
· Elevate to Elite Programme: We launched our Elevate to Elite programme which is designed to help accelerate our partners’ growth and enable them to fast-track through the various partner levels. This enables us to recognize and reward the efforts of certain individuals and companies within our channel community that go above and beyond to drive business with A10 Networks
· Tech Packs: Considering that technical teams don’t always get rewarded for their contributions, we created our ‘Tech Packs’ which provide a range of giftsto those techies who successfully complete certain certification levels
· Path to Platinum: Path to Platinum which is designed to accelerate our partners’ growth and enable Bronze and Gold partners to achieve the highest accreditation in the A10 Networks Affinity Partner Programme
· Lead the Way initiative: Designed to utilize our partner network to develop leads and marketing initiatives via our partner portal
Having a channel strategy that encompasses APAC, EMEA and South Asia provides us a unique perspective across a large market segment. This enables us to consolidate and coordinate our channel strategy to an ever-greater degree while also allowing for flexibility to manage customer and channel needs across individual countries and regions. Thus, we are committed to working closely with our partners and customers across the world to instill a sense of loyalty into the relationship.
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