Alpha Software Debuts First Partner Program

One advantage company officials hope the new program can offer is higher-quality sales leads in their geographic areas or vertical market specialties, as well as to limit the number of qualified VARs in any one geographic area competing for those leads.

"With this program, we are trying to ensure interesting sales leads where [VARs] are not facing a lot of competitors in their area, and hopefully to minimize the external threats they face, like outsourcing," says Richard Rabins, co-chairman of Alpha Software, in Burlington, Mass. "Offering a level of protection where VARs are not outbidding each other is important."

Some VARs say they are pleased with the quality of leads generated by Alpha, and that it does not cost them through referral fees.

"What I like is there are no territories. If they pass a lead over to you, it is yours. You do not have to pay them any kind of referral fee," says John Bowen, president of Firm Support Software, a VAR located in Kingston, N.Y. "Some partnerships want a piece of the sale, but we can't afford the fees they are asking."

As part of the new program, Alpha will supply VARs with prequalified sales leads with the freedom to claim accounts, dedicated live and online technical support, deal registration that features presales discounts and protected accounts, free product marketing and training, and joint promotions.

The focus of Alpha Five's Version 7 is to help VARs and corporate developers create customized Web-based applications without having to do a lot of coding. Company officials think the new program will help VARs better pursue those opportunities.

"With the product, partners can create programs without producing time-consuming code," says Theresa Johnston, Alpha's partner program manager. "They can add a customer's data to the Web or build complex database projects in days, not months, and so have a better chance to win bids and deliver projects below costs."

To entice potential VARs, Alpha is making not-for-retail versions of the product available for free during the month of December.