Verizon Revamps Channel Program

Verizon announced enhancements to its channel program that will allow VARs to focus efforts on large enterprises, with 500 or more employees, or on small to midsize customers, with 500 or fewer employees. Some solution providers will take advantage of both aspects of the channel program.

"Channel partners can choose which is more suited to their client base," said Maggie Hallbach, regional vice president of indirect sales solutions. "By aligning with the Verizon teams that serve those marketschannel partners could see more business. It's a great opportunity for growth."

The program, geared toward the large business market, called Verizon Business Indirect Channel Alliance, will encourage solution providers to work closely with Verizon Business' direct sales channel and will focus on solutions-selling.

"We are structuring rewards around consultative selling, rather than on a transaction-based approach," Hallbach said.

Hallbach noted that Verizon plans to view the channel as an extension of its own direct sales force. Verizon plans to enhance training and focus around IP-based services, managed services, security and professional services to help VARs sell more strategically and to monetize the IP transformation currently underway at many large companies today. In addition, resellers will have access to improved sales force automation, pricing and ordering tools, and greater levels of technical resources as the complexity of the sales engagement increases.

The program will take effect Jan. 1, 2008; Verizon noted that it will continue to support resellers through its current offering.