Juniper believes in collaborative success with its partners

Harshavardhan Kathaley
 Juniper Networks 

By fostering strong relationships and providing ongoing support, Juniper creates a sense of loyalty among partners. This not only helps them succeed but also solidifies Juniper’s reputation in India

Channel-friendly policies are essential for businesses like Juniper Networks to succeed in India. With a rapidly changing tech landscape, having strong partnerships with resellers and service providers is crucial. Partners help the brand reach out to customers effectively and deliver solutions that fit their needs.

“In India, 100% of our business takes place through our partners,” says Harshavardhan Kathaley, Director - Partner Sales, Juniper Networks (India and SAARC). “They play a key role in promoting our advanced technologies, even more so across areas like Network as a Service (NaaS). Our clear policies make it easier for partners to work with us, ensuring they have the support, training, and resources they need to thrive.”
“Coupled with regular training programs, we empower our partners with the knowledge of selling our products confidently. Additionally, our focus on collaboration means we are all working toward the same goals, which is especially important in a competitive market like India,” Harshavardhan continues.

Juniper Networks’ channel-friendly policies have played a major role in its success in the Indian market. The Juniper Partner Advantage (JPA) program is designed to support various partners—like distributors, resellers and service providers—allowing them to effectively engage with customers. In the last two years, Juniper has also introduced the Network as a Service (NaaS) partnership as part of its JPA program. Juniper’s commitment to AI-driven solutions also aligns perfectly with what Indian companies are looking for. 

 
KEY ELEMENTS OF A CHANNEL POLICY
An effective channel-friendly policy needs a few key elements. At Juniper Networks, the focus has been to keep the policies simple, and the partnering program modular and easy for partners to join and grow their business.

First, training is crucial. Juniper enables its partners with ongoing education to ensure they understand the products and can communicate their value effectively.

Next, incentives and rebates keep partners motivated. “We do so by offering rewards to the partner companies as well as their sales and pre-sales teams. The financial benefits are designed such that it’s easy to understand, implement, track and achieve – all of which have one aim in mind – which is to help their businesses grow,” explains Harshavardhan.

Support is another essential element to accelerate partnership. Juniper provides resources like marketing materials, marketing development funds and technical assistance to make it easier for partners to succeed.
Flexibility is also vital. Juniper recognizes that each partner is unique, so it allows its policies to be customized. This means partners can tailor their offerings to meet their specific market needs.

Finally, open communication is key. Juniper regularly seeks feedback from partners to refine its policies and ensure they remain relevant.