A new margin package, deal registration and other features of its new partner plan is helping Good Technology. But what seems to work best for its partners is actually using the products. John Taylor is the VP of worldwide channel sales and has put in place a programme to attract partners. Other parts of the plan are being piloted and will fall into place in the next few months, he tells IT Europa.
This is all against the background of a moving target: securing mobile devices has never been tougher, but the need is being recognised as much more important, and this is driving a lot of new business. The programme has to cater for different types of partner, from the large number of VARs with software skills and security experience to some regional integrators and global players. In his “Run, Grow, Transform” model of life-cycle phases as the products work through organisations, the partners can be involved in any or all of the areas.
“From proof of concept in-country, all the way up to global implementation,” he sees resellers as just as vital in the small geographies. The key is enablement and getting them trained. This has been a real change – where a year or so ago there was little opportunity, just last week, he says, some 42 individuals from UK partners went through the training. The partners sit in the same induction training class as the new staff at Good Technology itself.
And one of the useful ways this works is to encourage the partners to use it themselves; distributor Tech Data UK has been prominent in this, using it and becoming fluent in its implementation, right up to exec level, he says: “They act as a hub and a focus for this, which is important ins a market that will not stand still, and needs to server multiple tiers of customers and different VARs.”
He thinks resellers with experience of collaboration, particularly on SharePoint, as well as those from the Blackberry partner community find the Good Technology proposition, particularly welcome. Plus of course the new rewards scheme which kicks into to offer percentages on all deals once the qualifying $50k is reached.
He knows he needs the channels to get up to speed in a fast-moving business as the drive for security on mobiles affects everyone. “It affects all businesses, and consumers, and is a moving target for everyone.”
The new Margin Rewards Program is immediately in effect and covers deals registered by eligible partners with Good Technology as of September 1, 2014.