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Application performance infrastructure specialist Riverbed Technology announced changes to its partner program that are designed to simplify processes, training and competency certification for the company’s partners.
Most significantly, Riverbed is moving from a traditional revenue-attainment pyramid model to a competency model in order to allow the company to align its investments and resources to partners that either have a specific solution focus or can go wider and deeper with Riverbed solutions.
Under this model, partners must be certified on the products that are part of a specific competency in order to receive program benefits relating to those products, which include wide area network (WAN) optimization, storage delivery, application delivery and performance management.
“Riverbed has put tremendous thought into this new program framework and structure,” John Coleman, director of NetComm, product and partner management at distributor CDW, said in a statement. “We are looking forward to continued participation and success as our two companies collaborate to support our joint customers.”
The company also simplified the partner program by reducing the previous four partner levels down to three.
These consist of the Elite level, at which partners are required to have a minimum of three competencies in addition to a bookings requirement, the Premier level, for partners making investments to develop a minimum core competency in a particular product solution or solutions, and Authorized level.
Partners at the Authorized level are authorized to resell Riverbed products and services but have minimal training requirements and receive the lowest-level benefits.
Riverbed has also improved sales opportunity workflow and policies and is implementing a Deal Desk to drive best practice sales engagements globally, as well as new partner dashboards and quarterly reporting to provide partners with status on program compliance, discount levels per product, opportunity tracking and more.
“This is an exciting time for Riverbed and our partners,” David Peranich, president of worldwide field operations at Riverbed, said in a statement. “We are investing in key areas to simplify the program, improve partner opportunities and differentiate and reward partners based on their competency and investment in Riverbed products and solutions. We are making these enhancements to accelerate growth, expand into new markets and better serve our customers.”
Riverbed is investing in additional virtual labs, field roadshows and advanced certification training for both presales and post-sales, and partners who invest in certifications and training will receive increased benefits. Partners can also take advantage of updated online sales and technical presales training on all Riverbed products and solutions for accreditation.