Verizon Combines Programs to Enhance Channel Strategy

A partner program merging six previous programs has been reinstated by Verizon. This move aims to simplify the company’s channel strategy.

Different aspects of Verizon’s business will now be able to coexist in the new Verizon Partner Program. Partners of the company will be provided with agents, resellers, service providers and system integrators, etc. Furthermore, five solution options will also be available. This includes networks, mobility, advanced communications, cloud/applications and machine-to-machine solutions, through which partners will be able to become specialized and certified.

Partners will also be able to choose how they conduct business with the telecom carrier, as a result of the Verizon Partner Program. Three business models are available: the agent model (which allows for the selling of Verizon products and services through partners); the resale model (through which partners will be given flexibility to package, market and resell); and the “sell with” model (allowing partners to jointly market and present complimentary solutions without the requirement of selling Verizon products or services).

According to the executive director of channels for Verizon Enterprise Solutions, Richard Williams, “[Verizon] brought all of those different partner programs and models into one program to simplify and streamline [the] go-to-market strategy.”

Furthermore, four specific partner levels are demonstrated in the Verizon Partner Program: Member (the program’s basic membership model); Silver (provides extra training and incentives for marketing); Gold (greater incentives and includes Webinar content and conference invitations); and Platinum (has benefits on lower levels and assigned marketing resources, as well as joint participation at events). 

Verizon Partner Relationship Management Portal (based on Salesforce.com’s PRM provision) and a new Verizon Partner Program website are also included in the new offering. Rules of engagement for channel sales were also reworked by Verizon, who stated that direct customer accounts and existing new lead referral and lead registration systems were better defined.

Fewer than 500 partners are signed on the Verizon program worldwide. However, the company is not seeking to increase this number; Williams said: “Our goal isn't to add a thousand new partners this year. We want to add companies that really want to work with us and are going to be a good fit in the program.”

The channel is very much interested in Verizon at the moment, particularly since the company strengthened its cloud service business after purchasing Terremark in 2011. (CY) Link