March’s Channel Program Changes

Due in part to the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, some of the industry’s heavyweights made noteworthy channel-program announcements in March.

As is customary, some big names offered up some important news in conjunction with the show.

In this one-stop slide show, you’ll find channel-related changes of note from Verizon, Windstream, MegaPath and more. You’ll also learn about some companies you probably didn’t know that are launching partner programs for the first time.

Interested in new verticals? We’ve got those too.

This slide show doesn’t include every channel-program update in the past month (there were a ton coming out of Channel Partners in Las Vegas), but it offers up a nice recap of some of the biggest and some of those that are brand-new.

Missed February’s big channel changes? Find those here.

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Master agent eXemplify Group was named a platinum member of the Verizon Partner Program. The Verizon relationship adds new offerings to the Sales Partner Triangle, an eXemplify program designed to help partners develop new IT skills and opportunities. eXemplify Group now will provide its sales partners with specialized Verizon services and support, such as streamlined onboarding, co-marketing, expedited quoting and ordering, field sales support, and full back-office support.

Read more about this status upgrade for eXemplify Group here.

WTG, along with Cal Net Technology Group, now is able to provide the WTG agent community and their clients a suite of Microsoft cloud services. The team-up enables partners to provide direct billing, and sell combined offers and services, as well as directly provision, manage and support products and services. The Microsoft program is offering an evergreen residual so that commissions will continue for the life of the customer. TelePacific Communications also announced its participation in the program.

Read more about WTG’s entry into the Microsoft CSP program here.

MegaPath’s channel changes are designed to better assist and incentivize its partners. The company now offers the following increased dedicated resources to its top-performing partners, as well as enhanced tools and reward programs: Increased dedicated channel sales resources; designated service delivery alignment; a new enterprise partner in-depth care support program; and more.

Newly launched training and certification programs will enable partners to develop a stronger joint value proposition with Equinix as enterprise customers explore interconnection, hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, according to the company. Equinix’s partner program is designed for MSPs, network service providers, system integrators, vendors, service providers and VARs to help design and deploy cloud and IT offerings for enterprise customers.

Alfresco Software, a provider of enterprise-content management and business-process management software, says its new channel program will help recruit and onboard global and super-regional service providers, streamline the Alfresco OEM program and drive greater focus with key technology partners. Program components are focused around ensuring successful joint sales and marketing engagements, as well as training and support services to allow partners to build certified offerings based on Alfresco technology.

The redesign aims to help partners win and retain customers. The company now dedicates sales engineering, sales support/sales order coordination and account management to the indirect channel to improve communication, marketing ability, sales enablement planning and customer base management. In addition, Windstream has consolidated its service-order coordinator and channel-advocate programs, and has transitioned to a channel-only account management model designed to increase support for partners.

The AppSense Partner Program includes newly increased investments, benefits and resources for solution providers in every international region. The program, which features Silver, Gold, Gold+ and Platinum partner levels, also includes a deal-registration protection program, a dedicated AppSense executive sponsor, a dedicated partner page on the AppSense website and the free use of AppSense Insight, a granular endpoint data collection service. LANDesk announced last month that it intends to acquire AppSense.

This is where to learn more about AppSense’s channel update.

Reflektion, an eCommerce personalization software provider, says its new Integrated Partner Program gives an expanded network of retailers access to a quick launch integration with the company’s eCommerce offerings, which are built around capturing, analyzing and responding to each individual’s preferences and intent in real time as they shop. Reflektion partners are primarily in three areas: eCommerce hosting platforms, digital agencies and system integrators.

MineralTree, whose partners include resellers and business-process outsourcers (BPOs), says its partners now can expand their services and help midmarket companies move toward a more efficient accounts-payable process. MineralTree provides accounts payable and payment automation services. Colin Toomey, MineralTree’s new partner development manager, tells Channel Partners the company’s channel program has been in place for a year now and it has been working with just under 20 partners.

Click here to read more about how MineralTree is helping its partners.

Datablink, a provider of authentication and transaction signing services, says its new channel program offers sales, marketing and professional-services resources, as well as training and support options. Banks and enterprises rely on the company’s out-of-band technology to “protect millions of online users and transactions every day,” it said. Datablink currently partners with more than 25 resellers spanning the Americas and Asia.

SecureAuth says the revamp helps partners capture a greater share of the growing authentication security market. The invitation-only program provides the benefits, incentives and resources “necessary for partners to uncover new opportunities, drive revenue and maximize profitability – while reinforcing their position with customers as trusted advisers,” according to the company.

Read more about SecureAuth’s channel program changes here.