NaviSite Launches Partner Program For New Channel Push

This new program will feature three tiers including authorized, gold and master agent levels. It will offer partners marketing and public relations support, access to training, and channel sales and system architecture support, according to Craig Sandman, senior director of channels of NaviSite.

The NaviSite partner program is an expansion of the Time Warner Cable's Business Class Program. In addition, NaviSite's program will feature a new financial model based on continuing commissions that generates recurring revenue through the life of the contract for the partner, said Sandman.

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"Each channel partner, in an engagement-by-engagement basis, has the opportunity to work with our dedicated sales force and solutions architect," said Sandman. "We provide a lot of direct and high-touch deal support for what can be complicated deals sometimes. It takes a lot of that burden off of our partners and we think that’s a significant advantage."

According to Ian Kieniger, CEO of Avant Communications, a NaviSite partner, the new financial model will enable channel partners to work flawlessly with their field sales organization without any compensation conflict.

"It’s not often that you see a supplier provide access to direct resources to help you sell, in addition to a portfolio of channel enablement tools and funding as well," said Kieniger. "The more NaviSite is positioned to invest and enable my organization to be successful, that incrementally advances our business."

Time Warner Cable acquired NaviSite in 2011. In addition to growing Time Warner Cable's Business Class Program, NaviSite's own program will allow partners to offer a breadth of services through a single relationship with a single supplier, said Sandman.

"Channel partners will able to represent a full slate of leading telecommunications and video from Time Warner Cable in addition to a world class data center, cloud, hosting service, desktop as a service portfolio from NaviSite," said Sandman.

According to Sandman, NaviSite started its channel push three years ago. From 2011 to 2012, working with the channel has brought in a 5-time increase in channel revenue for the company, said Sandman.

"From the moment we started to put resources behind the channel, we noticed the increase in consideration rate," said Sandman. "Over the last year to date, we brought in 1,000 new opportunities to the business from a funnel perspective as a result of the exposure and consideration rate we got from our channel partner community."

The need and importance of the channel and formalization of NaviSite's program will bring future opportunities for both NaviSite and partners, said Sandman.

"We will give them opportunities to extend reach, coverage and relevance," said Sandman. "It's the culture to the dedicated channel organization that supports partner relationships and the NaviSite field representatives that support deals on a day to day basis."

PUBLISHED SEPT. 11, 2013