RSA Security Tweaks Its Channel Program

The traditionally channel-friendly company is looking to evolve its three-tiered SecureWorld channel program to address the greater awareness of security issues in the market, both for enterprises and midsize companies, said Tim Pickard, strategic marketing director at Bedford, Mass.-based RSA.

"There has been a shift in buying patterns, and we are also seeing security as an issue for smaller organizations," he said. "From a channels perspective, we are working to make sure our focus is appropriate, and that includes having a channel to support both the enterprise and the midsize [companies]."

As part of the shift, RSA is devoting more resources, including time, money and personnel, to assist its channel partners. In return, Pickard said, partners will be required to meet higher sales requirements.

"We are trying to build greater benefits for our partners," he said.

Pickard said RSA is making a greater commitment to training and certification, including ways to make training more accessible to its partners as self-learning, shorter courses and more varied training materials.

In addition, RSA has changed its tier differentiation in regard to margins, Pickard said. "Basically, the higher the level, the higher the margin," he said.

Having stronger tier differentiation will enable solution providers to hold on to sales and lessen the chance of being undercut by "price swooping," Pickard said.

The new channel strategy also includes greater access to market development funds, RSA staff and resources such as marketing materials, Pickard said.

The changes, which took effect at the beginning of the year, represent a stronger commitment to the channel, including more support from the company's direct sales force, which assists in selling a customer but turns the sale over to a solution provider, Pickard said.