SugarCRM Broadens Channel Recruiting Efforts, Revamps Partner Program

The vendor is also expanding the types of partners it works with, adding incentives for consultants and other companies that provide SugarCRM with referrals, but don't resell the SugarCRM product.

SugarCRM unveiled the enhanced program this week at Everything Channel's XChange Solution Provider conference in Los Angeles.

The revamped program, now called the Open+ Partner Program, offers more technical and sales training programs, and more market development assistance and business planning resources to help partners bring SugarCRM software to market, said Jeff Campbell, vice president of worldwide sales.

The company's partner engagement services, including a completely overhauled partner portal and improved lead generation and registration offerings, have also been enhanced.

"This is taking our focus on the channel to a whole new level," Campbell said in an interview this week.

Doug Guilbeau, managing director with Levementum, a SugarCRM gold partner based in Chandler, Ariz., praised the accelerated "flow and pace of information from the company to its partners." He said the vendor has been providing partners "with the tools and marketing resources they need to be successful" -- everything from marketing experts and MDF dollars to help with Google ad word searches.

Guilbeau noted that SugarCRM and Levementum are co-sponsoring a CRM Accelerator event in Atlanta next week.

SugarCRM offers professional and enterprise editions of its CRM application for SMBs and large companies, respectively, as well as a free community edition of the product.

The company currently has more than 270 active partners, Campbell said, and it wants to add 40 to 50 more over the next 90 days. About 65 to 70 percent of the company's sales are through the channel " up from 50-50 a couple of years ago " and Campbell said the goal is to boost the channel share of its sales even further.

The company is specifically seeking partners in vertical markets and geographies where SugarCRM doesn't have a strong presence, Campbell said.

While most of SugarCRM's channel sales have been through traditional resellers, Campbell said the company is adding new categories of partners to the program, including consultants, technology suppliers and others that provide the vendor with sales referrals. Those partners will be rewarded with commissions equal to about 10 percent of the generated license sales, he said.