Symantec, Veritas Tweak Partner Programs

Two of the fastest-growing giants in software unveiled major changes to their partner programs last month, further underscoring significant shifts inside and around the channel community. Symantec has introduced a plan to reclassify its partner allies by the size of the customer they sell to, rather than technical capabilities they have in-house as many other vendors do. Meantime, Veritas also launched a new initiative for business partners that target specific customers, in this case, small to midsize accounts that use Veritas' Backup Exec software to protect their data and storage systems.

These initiatives follow on the heels of new plans put forth by IBM and others. IBM, for example, recently unveiled a simplified plan for its PartnerWorld members that addresses weaknesses in the old version of the program"namely that there were duplicate offerings, no centralized skills tracking, multiple IT infrastructures and databases, and limited cross-brand programs and offerings. The new PartnerWorld program offers a single membership, a common set of benefits and an integrated IT infrastructure. Likewise, Sun recently streamlined its iForce program, rolling out a unified partner program that brings together software-development partners with Sun hardware resellers for the first time. Sun partners of every ilk will use common systems, programs and processes. Among other things, partners will be able to represent and sell virtually any product in the vast Sun product catalog from a single contract.

As for the Symantec program, it should"at least in theory"help the Cupertino, Calif.-based company provide market-specific tools and resources for partners. Among other things, the company is trying to improve the technical support it provides and better reward partners for their complete contributions to Symantec. That's one reason why Symantec has launched a deal-registration program that will reward business partners with a rebate if they enter detailed customer information into a Symantec database. While such programs have been highly controversial among business partners at other vendors, Allyson Seelinger, Symantec's vice president of global channel sales and strategy, offers assurances that her company has no intention of taking business away from business partners.

"From the top of North American sales on down, the mantra here is better partner enablement. We have no intention of creating a direct business in this space," Seelinger says. "We cannot afford to."

One thing, she believes, that will mitigate any concerns individual allies in the field may have is the company's new field-based midmarket team, which has been specifically tasked to go to market arm-in-arm with partners, she says. Given that several members of the team are former VARs, Seelinger is confident that the changes the company has made won't be viewed as hostile to existing partners.

The fact that Symantec is taking a step from traditional tiered programs"grouping allies as Enterprise Security Partners, Enterprise Administration Partners, Enterprise Solutions Partners or Enterprise Sales Partners"shows thought leadership, Seelinger says.

"In traditional, tiered programs, Platinum is end-all, be-all. Gold is nearly Platinum, but there is all this heartburn around having to tell a partner it didn't make it to that level," she says. "Here, there is no good, better or best. All partners play critical roles for us. And that will be a change in how partners look at different options."

In accordance with the new plan, the Enterprise Security Partner designation will go to those companies that sell security solutions to large enterprises. Partners will need to have a dedicated security-professional-services organization, a minimum of two employees with Symantec technical certifications and two Symantec Sales Specialists on staff, among other qualifications.

Enterprise Administration Partners, meanwhile, will be those that sell enterprise administration products to midsize and large enterprises. They, too, will need a dedicated professional-services organization, two employees with Symantec technical certifications and two Symantec Sales Specialists on staff. Enterprise Solutions Partners are companies that sell to midsize and small enterprises. They need at least one employee with a Symantec technical certification and two Symantec Sales Specialists.

Enterprise Sales Partners, meanwhile, are named and managed corporate resellers and direct marketers that sell volume licenses to midsize and large enterprises.

As for Veritas, its new program for the SMB market provides access to products including Backup Exec and Storage Replicator, dedicated resources to help newcomers with sales, support and marketing questions, new sales and marketing tools for targeting small and midsize businesses, and a dedicated section on the Veritas Partner Network Web site where SMB-specific information, sales and marketing materials, Web-based sales assistance and training resources are available.

The program also paves the way for the company's allies, 2,000 of which cater to SMB clients, to qualify for inclusion on Veritas' Partner Locator database, plus the chance to qualify for free online training and other benefits that are part of the Veritas Advantage Program.