Mark Sinclair (WatchGuard)
WatchGuard has scrapped the need for partners to pass three exams in order to join its global partner program.
The security vendor’s WatchGuardOne program previously required partners to pass exams in three “competency” areas: network security, secure Wi-Fi and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
However, in order to "minimise the barrier to entry", future partners can now achieve a single specialisation in one of the areas and gain full WatchGuardOne status.
The revamped specialisations, which will roll out in Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ), will include sales and technical training.
Once partners achieve a speciality, they will gain access to financial incentives and sales, marketing and technical support without revenue thresholds or product portfolio adoption requirements.
WatchGuard confirmed that partners would have the opportunity to obtain more specialisations once in the program, and will gain more financial incentives for the more they achieve.
“Partners don’t want to jump through hoops to reach lofty revenue thresholds or achieve vendor portfolio adoption criteria that doesn’t fit their customers’ needs – they just want to run their business efficiently,” said Michelle Welch, senior vice president of marketing at WatchGuard.
“Whether they’re focused purely on network security, secure Wi-Fi or MFA, partners that invest the time can easily capitalise on the same financial incentives and support as our largest partners, regardless of their size, business model or revenue capabilities.”
WatchGuard first launched the One program in 2015, which, at the time offered, silver and gold levels of membership, plus rebates and discounts based on a partner’s commitment.
The company now has more than 1,000 partners transacting with it across Australia and New Zealand. It works with the distributors Bluechip InfoTech, Exclusive Networks and Leader Computers, plus Dicker Data and Exeed in New Zealand.
Both Leader and Dicker Data signed deals with the company last December as the vendor signalled its expansion goals across the A/NZ region.
At the time, A/NZ regional director Mark Sinclair, who joined the company from Oracle in January 2018, stressed the company's commitment to being "100 per cent channel".
"The best way to achieve our goals is to appoint more partners and particularly those with a regional presence," he said.
