Sun Set To Roll Out Opportunity Registration Program

The program will launch Aug. 15, said Bill Cate, director of channel architecture and sales for U.S. sales operations and partner management at Sun, from GE Access's New Frontiers Conference in Keystone, Colo. As first reported by CRN in April, Sun's plan will allow iForce partners to register for protection a new customer account or one that has been identified as a "dormant account" (see story). The program will initially protect potential deals worth at least $250,000.

"This was the No. 1 issue our national advisory council had," Cate said. "They said we need Sun to recognize investments we are making in accounts and protect us. This allows them to register opportunities and request discounts or influencer fees."

There is no specific period for protection, but solution providers will have to update their progress every month to ensure that the end user is getting the service he needs, Cate said.

"We will recognize the investment for whatever amount of time makes sense, as long as there is progress," he said.

Solution providers have long complained to Sun that they could spend months working a deal and then another company comes in and offers the deal for less money.

"The message to other partners is the end user is teaming with Company A, go work the next one down the street. The advisory council did not want to compete on price." Cate said.

Solution providers applauded the new process, which Sun first hinted at during the iForce Summit earlier this year.

"If a deal is registered, it doesn't give you exclusivity but it gives you control," said Al Gnuse, manager of Maryville Technologies, a St. Louis-based solution provider. "It's the whole concept of protecting your investment. If I invest in an opportunity and do all the work, and at the end another company comes in and says they'll sell it to you for less money, my investment is gone. In a competitive environment, we're all trying to win business but we need ROI for our time and money too."