Posted: 06/2000

Qwest Unveils New Partner Program
By Tara Seals

Qwest Communications International Inc. (www.qwest.com) Alternate Channel Sales has revamped its partner program, unveiling a mix of web-based and instructor-led training, with pre- and post-training assessments and optional certification.

The program consists of partner education and certification, a three-tiered membership structure and an elite partner program, according to Jeff Davis, director, sales and marketing programs, Alternate Channel Sales. “Agents are not limited by their participation in Qwest’s education and certification programs,” he clarifies. “They will become

eligible for benefits based on educational level.”

One-day classes in four cities per month will cover Qwest-specific topics such as how to work with the carrier, provisioning and other basic information.

Data and IP classroom training will be conducted in two cities per month. The week-long sessions are vendor and channel neutral, and include data fundamentals,
DSL, WANs/LANs, wireless, local services, Internet technologies, e-commerce and selling solutions.

Qwest also will deploy web-based training and optional National Association of Communication Systems Engineers (NACSE) certification. The two-level program includes an introduction to networking, as well as WANs/LANs, TCP/IP and networking architectures, “internetworking,” network analysis and design.

“Q.Show” seminars are offered live twice per month and are archived on the partner extranet for self-study.”

The three-tiered membership structure offers ad and market development funds, increased commissions and lead generation. Under the elite partner program, the top 1 percent of agents will gather in August at a to-be-announced destination. This is the first in a series of annual events with changing locales.

“I see a transition in legacy networks and solutions from dedicated voice to the high-end broadband IP space,” says Davis. “Over the next couple of years we will see traditional voice margins drop, and voice will probably be free riding over an IP network. This is where the whole industry is going, we’re providing agents the tools to get there.”