Now launched, the newly upgraded VMware Partner Connect program better aligns partner support, practice development and lifecycle incentives with customer key business outcomes.
VMware (NYSE: VMW ), the world's leading enterprise software innovator, recently announced the global launch of VMware Partner Connect, the latest upgrade to its flagship partner program. The Partner Connect program, a holistic program for all partners, is now more flexible and efficient. The program offers a faster and easier upgrade path with more incentives and rewards partners based on performance and capabilities. Through the Partner Connect program, VMware supports partners' business growth and helps their customers successfully navigate the multi-cloud era.
As enterprises move from "cloud chaos" to "cloud intelligence," the opportunity now for partners is to help customers accelerate the migration of applications to the right cloud, enabling them to automate and secure their software supply chain while controlling private and public clouds infrastructure spending. VMware will work with partners to help enterprises address these issues by supporting customers' priorities, such as accelerating application modernization, enabling enterprise cloud transformation and ensuring hybrid office security.
"Through the Partner Connect program, we are reinventing the VMware partner experience so that each VMware partner can provide customers with end-to-end lifecycle support to Service-led, partnering to build predictable recurring revenue streams."
"IDC sees a shift in today's marketplace. For customers, it's not just digital transformation, it's digital-first," said Steve White, vice president, Channels and Alliance Programs, IDC. How we engage, where and how value is created, and how we interact with an increasingly connected ecosystem. The shift we see at VMware in the Partner Connect program is a nod to the macro trends above. By bringing everything under one In its program to simplify the experience, VMware can help partners transition to a service/subscription model, expand their service portfolio, and make the most of their investment."
Helping Partners Capitalize on Multi-Cloud Opportunities for Revenue and Business Growth
Optimized for partner profitability, the Partner Connect program now better supports cloud, service and solution-centric business models, aligning partner enablement, practice development and incentives with customers' key business outcomes , and provide more opportunities to create value throughout the customer life cycle (pre-sales, sales and post-sales). Updates to the VMware Partner Connect program for partners include:
Flexible and unified points system
One program platform for all partner business models, linking partner programs and value-added activities in one common points system. The system supports new architecture identification and aggregation, and rewards partners for achievements in transactions, service delivery, capabilities and expertise, while enabling partners to choose various ways to go to market, whether through one or multiple business models.
Rewarding Partners for Investment and Capabilities
Rewards and benefits partners as they grow their VMware business and move up through the Partner Connect program using program-specific evaluation criteria. From basic capabilities to differentiated services and intellectual property, partners can earn points for their achievements in training and innovation.
New Automatic Insights
The completely revamped partner dashboard provides a powerful self-service experience, enabling partners to customize views to see exactly where they stand on program metrics at any time. Partners can easily track history, performance, and progress toward the next level of competency, expertise, and advancement.
Expand practice development
VMware Ignite is an established partner practice activation and growth program funded by VMware on behalf of partners, and Ignite is now open to partners using various go-to-market growth paths. Ignite has helped thousands of partners build capabilities and accelerate growth with a uniquely structured, end-to-end practice development framework that combines tight timelines with flexibility.
Partner business model aligned with customer outcomes
Customer success depends on an interconnected ecosystem, and no single company can solve all customer needs alone. Through four distinct business models, VMware has created a connected and diverse Partner Connect program that enables partners to collaborate more and help customers achieve cloud intelligence and faster business outcomes. Partners can participate in one or more business models, each receiving more incentives and faster upgrades. Currently supported business models include:
Solution Resellers: Sell VMware software and services to customers.
Solution service provider: provides services before and after the transaction, focusing on pre-sales consulting and post-sales lifecycle services.
Cloud Solution Provider: Provides VMware-based cloud and managed services based on geography, including hybrid and multi-cloud services.
Solution Builders: Use VMware technology as an integrated component of their own software products.
Reward partners with lifetime incentives throughout the customer journey
VMware is offering additional incentives consistent with the VMware Cross-Cloud service. Transitioning to SaaS and subscription services helps VMware partners move from transactional sales to high-margin repeat sales. With the new Partner Incentive History Tracker, VMware partners can look back at their total payouts over previous quarters to better understand where they can maximize profits and identify opportunities that may be missed. New enhanced incentives now available to qualified partners include:
Sales Incentives: A backend rebate program aligned with partner tiers to reward qualified partners for sales of SaaS, subscriptions, and licensed software. Today, VMware pays 2-10 times more for SaaS and subscription sales than entitlement subscriptions.
Activation incentives: Partners are rewarded for providing customers with professional services to help them transition to the public cloud and activate and use VMware Cross-Cloud services.
Deployment Incentives: Designed to reward partners for accelerating customers' digital transformation with specific VMware solutions for application modernization and multi-cloud.
Setting Impact Performance Points for Non-Transactional Partners
Previously, partners could only earn Tier Points through deal bookings and upgrades in the Partner Connect program. Non-transactional partners who register as a Solution Service Provider can now earn performance points through impact bookings, leading to higher tiers. Solution service providers provide their clients with pre-trade and post-trade services, mainly for pre-sales consulting and after-sales lifecycle services.
Extensive training and solution professional certifications unlock more opportunities
VMware offers partners 14 Solutions Competency, 8 Master Services Competency and 2 Professional Certifications that partners can use to close larger, more profitable deals faster. Partners can now earn competency credits and progress towards upgrades based on their investments in training, competencies and certifications.
Content Source｜Public Account: VMware China R&D Center