BMC Consolidates Channel Programs

The Houston-based software vendor on Monday unveiled plans to unify the disparate programs of its multiple product lines beneath a single program called the BMC Partner Network.

Until now, BMC has allowed the different partner programs attached to its acquisitions of Remedy, Marimba, Magic and, most recently, Calendra to continue operating independently. That has created delays and confusion for some BMC partners trying to bid jobs that require multiple BMC products, said William Donahoo, director of worldwide channel program development and marketing.

"Partners don't want to sell multiple solutions on multiple terms and conditions," said Donahoo.

The BMC Partner Network, which goes into effect April 1, will provide partners with a single point of contact for terms, discounting and other reseller issues having to do with BMC's entire family of product lines, Donahoo said.

Without reducing the head count of its field partner organization, BMC will streamline its reseller channel structure to, for example, make it possible for a channel representative who once only addressed Remedy issues to address all of BMC's offerings, he said.

Pravin Jain, CEO of cMango, a BMC partner in Sunnyvale, Calif., who sells the range of BMC products, said that although the unification of BMC's multiple programs will mean losing certain perks from some product lines, not having to call on multiple channel representatives to do business with one vendor will be a plus.

"I must admit the Marimba program was a little bit better than the others, but it was getting difficult to deal with three different discounting schemes," Jain said. "When we had to bid a job that required three different BMC products, we would have to run it up each flagpole. It was like buying a car and getting a different discount for the engine, the tires, etc."

Two main categories will make up the BMC Partner Network. First are Solution Partners, which BMC defines as resellers, systems integrators, consultants, MSPs and ASPs that assist in the selling of BMC Software products and provide various levels of services for BMC-based solutions.

The second category covers BMC's Technology Partners—companies with technology and products that complement BMC Software products and engage in joint marketing and joint selling of the solution.

In creating the new program, BMC can better coordinate the delivery of its complete technology stack, which together makes up the backbone of its overarching technology solution vision called Business Service Management or BSM, Donahoo said. The Partner Network will foster the development of qualified resellers into full-fledged BSM solution providers using a go-to-market method developed by BMC called Routes to Value, Donahoo said.