Extricom Launches New Partner Program
David Confalonieri, the Israel-based vendor's marketing vice president, said Tuesday the new program comes at a time when VARs and solution providers of varying sizes are seeking out differentiated and alternative solutions that will help them take advantage of the booming multi-billion dollar WLAN market.
The new three-tiered program will replace Extricom's existing channel program, which Confalonieri dubbed "generation one," adding that the former program wasn't adequate to scale and keep pace with the direction of the wireless market.
"Our mission is to grow our channel; to grow it moderately," he said. "We're not looking for massive numbers of partners. We're seeking the businesses across the world that are looking to grow their wireless businesses."
Extricom makes enterprise-grade WLAN solutions designed to simplify Wi-Fi deployments. Using a blanket architecture which allows each Wi-Fi channel to be used on every access point, Extricom can create environments with low-latency handoffs and cut down interference.
Extricom offers WLAN infrastructure systems for converged voice, data, video and RFID services, growing markets in which solution providers need to offer products to support those applications while not restricting performance, resiliency and scalability.
Confalonieri said the PartnerAdvantage program is based on driving revenue growth and profitability for Extricom partners by creating a strong sales and marketing bond between partners and the vendor. Extricom will offer partners common-sense, value-adding programs for sales enablement, co-marketing, promotion and investment protection. Confalonieri said the program strives to give partners above average product margins while helping them develop their WLAN expertise, market solutions and protect their pre-sale time commitment through deal registration.
PartnerAdvantage offers three tiers, Registered, Select and Premier. Confalonieri said partners can leverage Extricom's simplicity, total mobility, guaranteed performance and convergence. Additionally, a new partner portal gives resellers access to sales tools and information, education and training, along with pre-sales help and deal development. The program also offers marketing materials and packages that can be customized by the resellers for their targeted customers.
"Streamlining their business is a key initiative here," he said.
He added that along with backend rebates and product margins, VARs who offer services around Extricom WLAN products will also be able to boost revenue. In the U.S., Extricom already boasts nearly 50 partners. There are 25 more partners in the UK and several more scattered throughout to globe.
Confalonieri said the program is straightforward and pragmatic, and highlights "what needs to be done to ensure our partners can expand revenues and expand revenues profitably."
Confalonieri said partnering with a pure-play wireless vendor, as opposed to a vendor that ties together wired and wireless offerings gives VARs a level of expertise in the market that customers will trust.
"That's a game that has to change," he said. "Businesses are demanding more out of their next generation wireless LANs."
Frank Kobuszewski, vice president of technology solutions at Syracuse, NY-based solution provider CXtec, said the Extricom's launch of its new partner program will bring added value to his business.
"We look at Extricom as a company that provides value on multiple levels," Kobuszewski said. "It's a technical solution that will give us an edge in a highly competitive Wi-Fi marketplace, and at the same time we see the value selling relationship enabled by PartnerAdvantage. This will make it possible for us to quickly identify opportunities, close business and execute on our commitments."
In a statement, Dan Kirtchuk, Extricom's executive vice president of global sales, said the PartnerAdvantage Program will be a massive initiative for the 100 percent channel focused vendor this year and in the future.
"Extricom PartnerAdvantage is a key building block in our strategy for 2008 and beyond," he said. "Increasingly, resellers and VARs are recognizing the unique blend of wireless innovation, performance and ease-of-sue that the Extricom WLAN brings to Wi-Fi implementation, and they are evangelizing these value points to the end-user IT community. PartnerAdvantage will enable them to maximize their selling opportunities in a rapidly expanding market."