ERP Software Solutions Provider Infor Unveils 'Micro-Verticals' Partner Program

ERP software solutions maker Infor has rolled out a new partner program that focuses on "micro-verticals" for current channel partners as well as prospective partners outside Infor ecosystem, the company announced this week.

The micro-vertical partner program will allow the New York-based company's partners to take care of their technology platform around Infor applications and extend it to the Infor customer community, said Gerard Frey, vice president of Infor partner networking programs.

"[Partners] will be able to take watch over their technology platform, further enhance our products, submit a blueprint approach and talk about the market to go after to help their business case," said Frey.

[Related: NetSuite Launches Partner-Designed Cloud ERP Consultant Certification Program ]

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Infor is currently looking at various micro-verticals, which are more focused on services needs in a specific industry. Micro-verticals can range from managing and billing for hospitality, for example, to expense management for oil and gas companies.

"It's limited by the partners imagination," said David Heffler, Infor's director of product management of Mongoose. "Now that they are given a better platform to develop in a consistent manner and don't have to deal with a hard-coding way of doing things."

Heffler said that the idea of having a new partner program came after he had received 1,000 customers over a 14-year period by using Infor Mongoose, the company's application development framework.

"I did it with one coder, one product manager and we were worldwide," said Heffler. "With that [experience], we need to make this the standard part of the program, and we want to open it to all partners to leverage the expertise and creativity."

According to Heffler, the new Infor partner program will be simpler for partners to use and will provide training, incentives and a single product manager to work with. The program will promote and get partners involved with more than just the core ERP products, said Heffler.

"[Other programs] were trying to serve too many masters, and with this new partner program, we're going to have one product manager and consult with the rest at a higher level," said Heffler.

NEXT: The Channel Partner's Perspective

Tony Petrucciani, CEO of Indianapolis-based Infor partner Single Source Systems, said he is enthusiastic about the new partner program.

"Now with the program, you can develop products that can be sold to all the Infor-based products and take advantage of the Infor systems," said Petrucciani. "Now you can have just one environment to take care of all your customer needs."

With the ability to bring solutions to market more quickly, Single Source Systems will be able to focus more on its customer relationship processes around micro verticals, over 2,000 of them, said Petrucciani.

"One example is a micro vertical of ours is wireless radio two-way communication," said Petrucciani. "There is information that needs to be reported to the FCC, and with the micro-vertical program and toolsets provided by Infor, [it] allows us to rapidly develop that stuff."

Through the new partner program, channel partners will also benefit from another revenue stream, said Infor's Heffler.

"Instead of a 'onesie-twosie' sale, they can close into it and get that additional revenue stream," said Heffler. "The solution track of it is our demo environment; they will demo the product, go into micro verticals and promote what the program has. Then, their revenue stream starts to make traction."

Another important factor of the new partner program is that small companies will be able to build an application into the market and sell it to a much broader audience, said Infor's Frey.

And the company, he said, is actively recruiting new partners.

"From a channel partner or VAR reseller perspective, we are aggressive in recruiting those that go after certain markets and fill in gaps," said Frey. "With this program, we will leverage our existing partner community that naturally gravitate to the micro verticals. We fully expect to get more products and companies that are non-Infor partners; it's too early to tell, but it's certain that companies are expressing their interest and we welcome those."

PUBLISHED DEC. 20, 2013