A Transparent and Profitable Channel Policy is the way forward 

With a strong background in sales, marketing, and channel management, Channel Chiefs play a vital role in helping companies achieve their growth objectives by leveraging the expertise, reach, and resources of channel partners.  

As companies look to grow their revenue and expand their market reach, the role of the Channel Chief is becoming increasingly important. In today's competitive landscape, companies that have a strong channel strategy and a well-respected Channel Chief are well-positioned for success. 

There is no denying the fact that channel programs can help companies share the costs and risks of sales and marketing. This can free up valuable resources that companies can invest in other areas of their business, such as research and development. 
Partner programs can also help companies accelerate their growth. By partnering with multiple companies, companies can quickly expand their customer base and increase their sales. In fact, there are many such instances where companies have achieved remarkable growth through their efficient channel programs. 

Corporates are increasingly turning to channel partner programs as a way to expand their reach, tap into new markets, and accelerate their growth. Partner programs can be incredibly effective in helping companies achieve their business goals, and many multi-billion dollar tech companies have invested heavily in developing and implementing successful partner programs. 

Corporates are seen investing heavily in their channel partner programs to expand their business and reach new markets. In 2022, where the global channel partner market was valued at $600 billion, it is expected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2025. This growth is being driven by several factors, including the increasing complexity of technology products and services, the growing demand for specialized expertise, and the need to reach new customers and markets. 

By investing in their channel partner programs, corporates can achieve significant benefits, including increased revenue, expanded market reach, and reduced costs. As a result, corporations are expected to continue to invest heavily in their channel partner programs in the years to come.   

In nutshell, in a channel partner ecosystem, partners work together to create a seamless customer experience. They share information and resources, and they collaborate on marketing and sales initiatives. This can result in a more efficient and effective go-to-market strategy for the manufacturer. 

iValue’s dependency on its partners is unequivocal   
 

Venkatesh R  
Co-founder and VP - Strategic Accounts, iValue InfoSolutions  

Partner programs are paramount for organizational success in any industry and, especially so in the technology services sector. At iValue Infosolutions, our dependency on our partners is unequivocal.  
We are proud to collaborate with over 1000 partners across India, working closely to enhance the application lifecycle management, and we rely on them extensively to help our end customers improve their IT network’s Performance, Availability, Scalability, and Security.  
Over the years, we have worked very closely with our channel ecosystem while developing our customized stack-based solutioning approach. Their constant feedback is what has helped us address the unique challenges faced by our partners' key customers, and this partner-first approach has established iValue Infosolutions as a trusted resource in this space. 

Our partners are aware of their strengths and responsibilities to their customers. They actively engage with iValue when proposing new solutions, as well as in cross-selling and up-selling to their key accounts. This collaborative approach fosters customer confidence in our partners and, in turn, enhances their trust and confidence in iValue. 

Our incentive and reward policy is designed to benefit both our partners and their teams. We regularly offer incentives and rewards to our signed partners for key brands (OEM). These programs serve not only to motivate partner organizations but also to incentivize their sales and presales teams, leading to added rewards. Conducted on a quarterly basis, these programs ensure that our partners reap multiple monetary benefits and receive recognition from iValue and our OEMs. 

The success of our partner programs is gauged through a multifaceted approach. iValue maintains an internal partner-focused geo-centric CRM system that we use to track progress regularly. Our success is inextricably linked to our partners' ability to position and sell our solutions effectively.  
We have dedicated regional teams across India collaborating closely with our partners to measure their success continually. Through this collaborative effort, we have significantly increased our wallet share with many of our partners, highlighting the efficacy of our approach.

Lenovo is a firm believer in a partner-first strategy 

Amit Luthra     
Managing Director- India, Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG)       

In the IT industry, transformation is a buzzword. Digital transformation is a reality, and what makes it real is IT transformation. For Lenovo, IT transformation is of great significance as it covers the entire IT landscape. With a rich history spanning decades, Lenovo has not only witnessed the transformation of the IT industry but has actively shaped its future.   

Lenovo works closely with its partners. We recognize that they come from diverse backgrounds - while some excel in artificial intelligence deployments, others in high-performance computing, and some have expertise in machine learning and other AI-related areas. But we collaborate with all our partners to enable and facilitate transformation, sharing our experiences and insights on how to make transformation a reality. It therefore goes without saying that our partners play a pivotal role in our strategy.   

Lenovo has always adopted a partner-first approach. We firmly believe in a partner-first strategy. We rely heavily on our partner ecosystem, with approximately 90% of our business conducted through partners.   

Partners often have strong relationships with their customers, which makes them excellent at identifying opportunities. Some partners have gone the extra mile, acquiring the necessary skills to meet the evolving needs of digital transformation. We provide support and training programs to assist them in filling any skill gaps.   

Ours is a symbiotic relationship, and we try to prioritize our partners which becomes crucial for our partner-first strategy to thrive. We also take a customer-centric approach. Together with our partners we try understanding the customers' requirements, which is the key to delivering the right solution.  Lenovo works closely with customers from the inception stage of an opportunity to fully comprehend their needs. On the basis of our vast experience and industry knowledge, we strive to provide the best solution on the first attempt. This approach ensures a superior cloud-as-a-service experience.  

Lenovo works closely with SMBs, offering both horizontal and vertical solutions. Our expertise spans across various sectors like manufacturing, education, healthcare, and more. We provide solutions in areas like 5G, Edge, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, and enterprise analytics, helping SMBs on their transformation journey.   

With Oracle Alloy, the chances for partners to become a cloud provider for a specific region increases 
 

Siddharth Idnani 
Alliance & Channels, Oracle India 

Oracle Alloy goes beyond being merely a collection of cloud services operating from an Alloy Operator location or a dedicated cloud region installation. It functions as a complete OCI platform, empowering service providers, integrators, ISVs, and other organizations to work independently in teams to manage, maintain, and enhance it, with support from Oracle's upgrades. With Alloy, channel organizations can provide a comprehensive set of cloud services, customize the experience, and package additional value-added features for their customers. 
With Alloy, our partners can potentially become a cloud provider for a specific region or industry, and in doing so, enables them to meet the business objectives of their end customers. At our flagship event, Oracle CloudWorld 2023 in Las Vegas, Oracle introduced the key capabilities of Oracle Alloy, and one of its standout features is the ability to tailor and rebrand it according to the Alloy operator's branding standards.  

One of the main differentiators for Oracle Alloy is the flexibility to tailor and rebrand to Alloy operator’s brand standards. This not only reinforces the Alloy operating team to further establish their brand but also helps provide a superior and simplified customer experience. Just like any OCI public cloud region, an Alloy installation is designed to efficiently cater to the needs of thousands of enterprises and millions of simultaneous end users.  

Similar to OCI Dedicated Region, Oracle Alloy functions as a full cloud region that Oracle supports and provides new features as they become available in other Oracle public cloud regions for continued innovation. 

In India, Oracle has 600 partners, and more than half of our business on the Oracle Cloud infrastructure side comes through partners. On the SaaS side, it's nearly 80%. This insight is significant and indicates that our partner ecosystem in India is extensive and has the potential for further growth. Oracle Alloy will enable seamless expansion of our partners' businesses, fostering innovation. This development will further enhance the competitiveness of Indian enterprises on the global stage. Oracle Alloy offers more than just cloud services running in an Alloy Operator location or a dedicated cloud region install. 

Nutanix channel programs enable partners to drive truly transformational results  
 

Harsh Vaishnav  
Head – Channels, Nutanix India and SAARC  

The Nutanix Elevate Partner Program supports and rewards our ecosystem of skilled partners across all specializations who deliver the utmost in value to their customers. Using a common program framework, Elevate balances competency-based requirements with tangible benefits and enhanced incentives to drive a recurring revenue continuum for them.  

The Nutanix partner ecosystem is also built to provide the utmost in customer experience, providing end-to-end, fully integrated Nutanix Cloud Platform solutions for any application or workload to create maximum customer value. Ultimately, Nutanix provides partners with one place to build a sustainable and profitable business. A channel-first partnership that prioritizes rich incentives and consistent profitability throughout every stage of the customer journey.  

Nutanix has concentrated on enabling partner autonomy over the last few years. We accomplished this by concentrating on sales, technical, and services certifications, as well as developing partner skills on Nutanix technologies, as a part of our Elevate Partner Program.   
Research and engagement with partners worldwide to understand the modulations of their operations and their pain points.  
Focus on customer centricity to understand the customer needs in the present, while anticipating future requirements that will be fueled by industry trends.   

Piecing it all together while creating simplicity and flexibility in engagement, to allow more focus on innovation and customer needs, ultimately resulting in our partners and our growth.   
Nutanix introduced enhancements to the Elevate Partner Program’s incentives and Performance+ Deal Registration Program for FY24. The updated incentive structure includes -  
Larger Payout for New Business Individual Incentive: Now partner sellers and sales engineers (SEs) can earn a 2% incentive, up to $7,500 per deal, for identifying, registering, and winning new business with Nutanix.   
Increased Discount Advantage for Deal Registration: FY24 brings an enhanced discount advantage to partners who register deals and quote Nutanix simplified product portfolio SKUs (PnP 2.0).  
Performance Bonuses: Top-performing partners will have the opportunity to earn even more through the Outperformance Rebate program.  

SentinelOne’s perspective is simple - when partners succeed, the company too succeeds
 

Satish Rajanna   
Channel Director for India & SAARC - SentinelOne     

SentinelOne is a channel company at its core and our Partner Program helps deliver comprehensive endpoint security solutions and expertise. We are a channel-only vendor, and do not transact any business without the channel. Our company works with all types of partners, from system integrators and MSSPs to strategic technical and IR partners including individual security consultants to help deliver the next-generation protection to our customers.   

We have invested significantly in our Partner Development Program. Through this program, we can reward a partner’s commitment to the learning journey and building out their pipeline. SentinelOne University covers all areas of a partner’s learning and career development journey, and includes sales, technical, marketing, and leadership courses. We encourage our partners to achieve task-based milestones including business plan development, proof of concept execution, deal registrations, and sales target completion.  
In 2021 we launched our MSSP program which gives our partners an alternative go-to-market strategy. Our MSSP partners have access to our sales and technical enablement programs, as well as all sales, technical and marketing resources that they need to support business development.  

SentinelOne’s incentive and reward policy for our channel partners is to ensure that we incentivise our partners across education on our solutions, building pipeline through demand generation campaigns, deal registrations, and, of course, sales. Having partners who can be successful independently of SentinelOne is critical to our growth and customer reach. Having motivated partners is essential.  

One of the better ways to measure the success of the program is to look at our partner education and events. In August, we hosted our second annual Asia Pacific partner summit. We had over 170 participants from 14 countries come to Vietnam for four days. They had the chance to network, meet SentinelOne executives, and take part in dozens of sessions that covered every aspect of our business. By the willingness of our partners to come to our event, their desire to excel within our program, and their determination to grow. 

Securonix devises policies that help partners drive their long-term growth    
 

Ajay Biyani    
Vice President - APJ, India and MEA, Securonix    

Securonix believes that having an efficient and effective partner program is extremely essential to drive business growth. Partner programs play a pivotal role in expanding a company's reach, increasing revenue, and fostering long-term growth. We consider Partners our team members who open new doors, increase sales, and work toward common goals, making businesses more successful in today's interconnected world. A partner program is crucial for business success for the following reasons - Market Expansion, Revenue Growth, Cost Efficiency, Risk Mitigation, Innovation, Expertise, Customer Trust and Competitive Edge.  

It is very important to maintain a clear and transparent communication channel with your partners in order to foster a collaborative work environment and drive business growth. A blend of clearly outlined expectations, transparent communication, and consistent interaction cultivates transparency and lucidity with partners, ultimately resulting in more fruitful collaborations and outcomes. 

At Securonix, we distinguish ourselves with robust incentives and rewards like financial incentives, sales and marketing support, training and certification, technical assistance, and other programs. We offer margin protection, deal reciprocation, and services enablement to provide a strong foundation for the partner’s growing security portfolio. We remove all hurdles with no program fees, free training, flexible billing options, and a competitive, simple pricing model.  

In 2022, we introduced fresh incentive programs, including the Securonix Millionaire's Club, to recognize the efforts of partner sales representatives and SEs who contributed to closing substantial new business deals. This forward-looking initiative transformed how we incentivize our partners. 
Additionally, reviewing return on investment provides a clear picture of the program's performance, as it relates the costs of the program to the revenue generated. We constantly ensure that partners comply with brand and quality standards as it is important for safeguarding reputation. In the end, we believe that success can be gauged by the extent to which the program not only increases revenue but also enhances the brand's reach, market share, and customer experience. Regular evaluation and adjustments based on these metrics are crucial for sustaining successful partnerships. 

Partnership is one of the key elements of Optoma’s marketing and channel network    
 

Vijay Sharma  
Country Head - Optoma    

The partner programme is crucial for providing clients with distinctive value. Being the leading company in the projector sector, we constantly aim to establish a strong network of channel partners across the nation. We have a strong bond with our partners that allows us to understand consumer needs, current trends, and help in meeting customers’ demand.  We always strive to build a solid network of channel partners around the country.   

Recently we got into a tie-up with Supertron Electronics Pvt. Ltd. for reaching out to customers across India, to solve the queries and to provide the best possible after sales service to the buyers. Moreover, partners help in driving the interest of the target group, creating a new customer base, increasing sales and thriving company revenue.  

Partnership is one of the key elements of our marketing and channel network. The business strategies adopted by us for our partners and distributors are transparent and fair in nature.  Amidst this cut-throat competition, companies need to build up a personal relationship with the channel partners to understand their needs and extend support accordingly.  We conduct multiple training programs, hold workshops and doubt solving sessions for our distributors. We provide profit guarantees to the channel partners that promote and collaborate with Optoma on every level. We run an established program of certifying our channel partners according to their strength and provide tiered margin structure. 

From time to time there are additional incentive programs which includes better margins and experiences for our partners. The sales and service team are accessible and are provided timely support with local marketing and brand awareness activities. We also run a partner program for our experience zones. Partners are encouraged to demonstrate Optoma projectors in best environment and with our focus models.  The sales staff of our dealers are also roped in with incentive programs to run a successful channel management programs which emphasis in taking care of the sales lead and closing the entire buyer cycle. 

CP Plus wants to become a household name and a symbol of trust     
 

Aditya Khemka   
Managing Director, CP PLUS (Aditya Group)     

In the ever-evolving landscape of security solutions, CP PLUS is at the forefront, weaving simplicity into complexity. Our mission extends beyond ensuring community safety; we strive to empower societies globally. Our invaluable partners guide us, shaping innovative solutions that reach every corner, making security a universal standard.  

We help out partners step into a world where security meets innovation with CP PLUS. As we navigate the dynamic landscape of surveillance solutions, our commitment to simplicity and optimization takes center stage. More than just a provider of safety, we are on a global mission to empower communities. Our vision is to make CP PLUS a household name, a symbol of trust and technological prowess across the world.  

Our journey is guided by the invaluable partnership we share with those who understand the pulse of the people – our channel partners. They are the key to our understanding of evolving needs. We work hand in hand to offer new, proficient solutions that cater to the ever-changing requirements of society. Through their support, we extend our reach to every nook and cranny, ensuring that even those in remote corners have access to the latest in surveillance technology.  

Diving into the realm of Indian SMEs, CP PLUS is not just competing but standing out. Distinctiveness defines our brand as we go beyond expectations, offering cutting-edge solutions. Partner-focused programs, including tech training and engaging trips, fortify our relationships. Our commitment to a safer tomorrow fuels us, creating a consistent brand that outshines competitors. CP PLUS is synonymous with security, thanks to our dedicated channel partners.  

Shifting the focus to the vibrant landscape of Indian SMEs, CP PLUS doesn't just aim to compete; we strive to stand out. In a world where distinctiveness is the key to a memorable brand identity, we go beyond expectations. Passion for creating a safer tomorrow propels us through challenges, creating a consistent brand identity that outshines competitors. When they think security, they think CP PLUS, all thanks to our dedicated channel partners.  

Success of a partner program depends on effective management and selecting right partners   
 

Mahanthi Parthasarathi    
Director Channels - Parsupp IT Services        

Partner programs can be highly important for organizations in driving business growth. They enable companies to tap into new markets, access specialized expertise, and extend their reach through a network of partners. For many businesses, especially in industries like technology, partner programs are instrumental in expanding market share, reducing costs, and increasing revenue.  

Partners bring in customers, provide local knowledge, and offer complementary products or services. This not only accelerates market penetration but also enhances the customer experience. Furthermore, partner programs can foster innovation and build ecosystems around a company's offerings, giving them a competitive edge. However, the success of a partner program depends on effective management, selecting the right partners, and maintaining strong relationships. Partner programs can significantly contribute to an organization's business success when executed well. 

Clear and transparent communication with partners is achieved through establishing clear objectives and roles in written agreements or project plans, scheduling periodic meetings to discuss progress, issues, and adjustments, also implementing systems for partners to provide input and suggestions. 

Compensation should be fair and competitive, providing an attractive incentive for engagement. Non-monetary rewards, such as marketing support and access to exclusive resources, can be equally valuable in motivating partners. Regular performance reviews, open feedback channels, and a commitment to data security and privacy ensure the policy remains effective and compliant. This approach creates a foundation for sustainable, goal-oriented partnerships that benefit all parties involved. Measuring the success of partner programs is crucial for businesses seeking to optimize collaboration and drive growth. Key performance indicators include revenue generated through partnerships, customer acquisition rates, and partner satisfaction levels. Tracking conversion rates, lead generation, and overall ROI helps gauge the program's financial impact. Evaluating partner engagement, communication, and feedback can provide insights into relationship quality. Monitoring the alignment of partner activities with broader business objectives ensures strategic coherence. Long-term success is reflected in sustained, mutually beneficial partnerships that foster innovation, expand market reach, and enhance brand equity. A comprehensive evaluation of these metrics allows companies to refine their partner strategies for continued growth and profitability.

For Allied Telesis partners, there are opportunities galore      
 
Dattatray Katkar     
Head of Sales & Strategic Alliances - INDIA & SAARC, Allied Telesis India     

India is one of the largest and growing markets in Asia Pacific for Allied Telesis. Allied Telesis has positioned itself as the alternative that allows organisations to ease back on the complexity of their networking environments by leveraging innovations around AI and machine learning.   

There is a high focus to build strategic partnerships to take care of this growing demand for LAN, SD-WAN, and wireless WAN solutions.  We can see there are a lot of infrastructure projects and investments happening in the manufacturing vertical where automated solutions play a vital role and with strategic partners in place, we want to cater this market in a big way.  

Allied Telesis has come up with a true next-generation automated solution. True next-generation automated platforms or networking solutions are helping customers to make their networks up with negligible manual intervention. For instance, there are technologies like preventive maintenance wherein we have segregated over 30 areas because network switch or firewall or access point gets faulty, so system admin will get an alert in advance with the help of our on-premise network AI technologies. We also have technologies like click and run which can automate ACL, QoS and VLAN configurations. In normal scenario it takes almost a few hours to do the same. We are talking about a few clicks and the entire network from core to distribution, be it 500 or 1000 of switches, can be deployed. There is strong roadmap in coming quarters for automation of these features.   

In India, we are going to focus on wireless. We are also coming up with a Distributor lead model wherein we are covering a long tail partner, through which we are going to address tier two, three and four cities with the help of our stock and sale model, which we just launched. With strategic partners in place for regional as well as national level, we are getting into the enterprise businesses for manufacturing, healthcare, education verticals. We see a lot of opportunities for partners, for services on our solutions. So, with the Zero Trust Provisioning technologies or Network Automation technology, they can achieve a very good ROI on our solutions to scale them in terms of their revenue.   

Seagate continues to build a robust partner base through its partner programme     
 

Sameer Bhatia     
Director of Asia Pacific Consumer Business Group and Country Manager - India & SAARC, Seagate Technology   

The partner programme is crucial for a business's success and at Seagate, it forms the backbone of our strategy. We believe in a win-win relationship for the channel partners and distributors. We always work towards profitability to maintain a right ROI for their business. So, as a company we will keep working to grow our channel partners and enable and equip them to have a healthy business growth and be successful.  

To ensure clear and transparent communication with our partners, we leverage a multipronged approach. Seagate has been continuously building a robust partner base through this programme, providing comprehensive training sessions and seminars as well as working on co-marketing initiatives. Seagate also continuously provides training for partners to better understand evolving opportunities in addition to regular products and technology trainings. 

Additionally, our Seagate SkyHawk Partner App plays a crucial role in facilitating real-time communication. It provides partners with immediate access to essential information, such as storage needs, investment calculations, online warranty service bookings, and direct connectivity to SeaCare centers, ensuring they are always up-to-date and can meet the expectations set by our business. Our incentive and reward policy has been thoughtfully structured to motivate and acknowledge the contributions of our partners. We develop tailored incentives focused on specific sales initiatives and the acquisition of new customers, catering to the diverse needs of different channel companies. Seagate’s SkyHawk Partner App is a great example of how we empower our partners and customers. These initiatives not only incentivise sales and customer outreach but also ensure our partners are equipped with the latest tools and knowledge to thrive in a competitive market, thereby creating a win-win scenario for both Seagate and our partners. 

We measure the success of our partner programs through a comprehensive set of metrics and indicators. Our partners have been showing great level of engagement in our training programs, seminars, tradeshows, and events, which are critical indicators of our program success. Additionally, sales growth and partner network expansion would be some of those various metrics. These metrics help us assess the impact of our programs and guide us in continuously refining and enhancing our partner strategies. 

Red Hat believes working together with partners make them an invincible force   
 

Ritesh Syal   
Senior Director – Partner Ecosystem India/South Asia, Red Hat India   

As a market leader in open source, collaboration is key to our operating model, and that includes our partner ecosystem. We are stronger when we work together - when communities of experts share expertise, we create the best open source, IT, and customer experiences. So we have connected trusted partners into a powerful ecosystem for our customers. 

Our partner community can solve customer challenges, build integrated solutions, and establish & grow trusted relationships all built around Red Hat’s world-leading, enterprise open source solutions. In APAC alone we have over 3,900 partners that we work with on multiple types of projects from cloud-native development, digital transformation, infrastructure management and more - and increasingly, on a strategic level beyond our traditional Linux play.  

Recently, we have upgraded our platform Red Hat Partner Connect to encourage Partners to partner with Red Hat to access new markets, broaden their company’s expertise, and build stronger customer relationships. We look forward to seeing how our partner program can continue to grow. Red Hat is committed to transparent communication and commitment to our entire ecosystem, including our partners. Open ways of working are also crucial to our joint success. And as an open source company with now three decades of history, we think we have become pretty good at it! One practical example on the partner side will be our key partner connect portal connect.redhat.com, to ensure that we are all aligned for greater success and good.  

Upon successful application and admittance to the Red Hat Partner Program, our partners gain access to an array of benefits via Red Hat Connect for Business Partners. As a Red Hat Partner, they are eligible to receive marketing, sales, and training benefits designed to assist them.  

The Red Hat Partner Program is a multi-tiered partner model with different partnership levels. Each level offers access to a variety of benefits that help develop expertise and increase capability to sell and deliver Red Hat technologies. The case for investment is clear: for every $1.00 in subscription revenues, partners can make an additional $21 by providing value-add services and solutions.