Verizon is doubling down on its indirect sales channel strategy through enhancements to its Verizon Partner Program that’s making it easier for the partner community to do business with Verizon.
Over the past year, Verizon has doubled its partner program member base, dramatically enhanced its commission structure, introduced a new certification and specialization program and appointed a new head of its channel program.
The certification program is an extensive training curriculum with built in incentives that help our members better understand and market Verizon’s solutions giving them a competitive edge to differentiate and increase the potential for revenue growth.
“We’re shifting Verizon’s Partner Program to a higher gear by creating new business opportunities for our partners,” said Joe Chuisano, director of channel programs, Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “We’ve revamped our channel program so that we can focus on helping the partner community strengthen and grow their relationships.”
As part of this effort, we have revamped Verizon’s Partner Portal to serve as a central point where partner program members can register their deals, measure their sales activities and access marketing tools and request field support to enable them to be more effective in supporting their customers.
For example, Verizon is focused on helping channel partners more swiftly deploy solutions for customers. To do so, Verizon is utilizing the company’s Rapid Delivery (RD) platform for Silver and Gold level solutions providers. Verizon RD is a service delivery and processes efficiency initiative to speed quote-to-order-to-billing for complex quotes from 12 days to 30 minutes on average.
In addition, Verizon rolled out a new Partner Program Mobile App that gives providers access to information on incentives, promotions, products, events, and webinars as well as “battle cards” that provide a quick reference to the value proposition for Verizon solutions.
Along with improving the partner experience, the Verizon Partner Program increased its market development (MDF) fund by 100 percent to $1 million. The MDF is designed to help members drive revenue and transform their go-to-marketing strategies to better compete including providing business plan development from The 2112 Group, and marketing plan development from John Convery Consulting and website design.
“We are driving channel transformation through our unprecedented commitment and investment in the channel with sales of our network, mobile and cloud solutions,” said Chusiano. “And, it’s working by raising the bar with new productivity and sales enablement tools and specialized training that is enabling Verizon and the channel to achieve an all new level of success.”
The industry is taking notice. Today, Verizon was awarded CRN’s 5-Star Award for its channel program, as well as being recognized as a top vendor in the areas of storage, network, security and cloud. Earlier this year Janet Schijns, vice president of medium business and channels for Verizon Enterprise Solutions achieved a Circle of Excellence Award from Channel Partners.
In the following video Joe Chuisano talks about Verizon’s commitment and its approach to the channel.
