Written by Tracy-Ann Palmer, Vice President, Partner Programs and Experience, VMware
Today, is a groundbreaking day as we announced the next evolution of VMware Partner Connect maximizing partner investments and to help partners harness the growing opportunity in multi-cloud. As a single, unified, global program, Partner Connect’s new framework provides a flexible point system that rewards partners throughout the value continuum. The new VMware Partner Connect is focused on driving partner capabilities aligned to VMware SaaS and subscription strategy inclusive of all business models and routes to market and allowing partners the flexibility to choose their own journey mapped to how they go to market.
New Partner Connect Structure: What’s Changing
Partners will be recognized for their capabilities and performance as they engage and support the customer lifecycle:
- Unified engagement through a new flexible point system that recognizes, aggregates, and rewards partner accomplishments through pre-sales, purchase and post-sales motions including customer adoption and consumption.
- Support of four business models under a single program: Solution Services, Solution Builder, Cloud Solution Provider, and Solution Reseller.
- Scalable joint GTM with VMware field sales teams to expedite partner-led services delivery, including aligned incentives and recognition of partner influence on revenue.
- Self-serve access to automated real-time performance dashboard that provides insights and visibility toward key Partner Connect program milestones focused on level progression thereby increasing benefit and incentive profile.
- Introduction of the new Pinnacle level focused on VMware’s most strategic and transformational partners.
- Broadening of the benefits portfolio inclusive of access education credits and vouchers, expanded test drive and NFR licenses, and Ignite mapped to partner levels around access.
- Simplifying program operations and audit processes by aligning to the VMware fiscal calendar and replacing the annual program fee requirement with a one-time enrollment fee for new partners only.
New Self-Service Preview Dashboard Providing Visibility into Performance
With the evolution of Partner Connect, a new self-service dashboard will provide partners with visibility into where they stand in the new program structure. The dashboard makes it easy for partners to track progression and competencies achieved, while also allowing them to target areas of focus and accelerate to the next level.
New VMware Go-To-Market Play System to Support Business Transformation
VMware’s new Go-To-Market (GTM) Play System brings together fragmented GTM programs into a streamlined engine with defined solutions to address customer challenges. This newly streamlined portfolio of sales plays focuses on transformational business challenges (Strategy Plays) and discrete IT solutions (Velocity Plays) by providing implementation-ready plays with unified enablement and incentives to ensure end-to-end alignment from partner capability development to customer success.
Build Your VMware Practice with VMware Ignite
As part of the transformation of Partner Connect, VMware Ignite will now be more broadly available for new and committed partners and distributors that want to build their VMware practices. VMware Ignite is a unique partner practice activation and development program with a rigorous and proven methodology that offers structured development paths to build capabilities across technical, sales, and marketing functions. This proven methodology drives our partners to develop formalized VMware practices, resulting in industry-leading partner return on investment and monetization.
New VMware Ecosystem Solutions Partner Studio
VMware’s Ecosystem Solutions Partner Studio drives strategic relevancy by enabling VMware Partners to create solutions through our co-innovation path with Solutions Lab or our digital self-service Solutions Hub. Solutions Lab provides our partners with a comprehensive program of guided assistance and support from VMware experts to help partners refine, realize, and take their vision-inspired ideas to market. Solutions Hub offers a low-touch integrated self-service platform providing partners the freedom to create, curate, activate, and publish qualified badged solutions with global visibility. VMware Solutions Labs or Solutions Hub supports our partners’ go-to-market strategy needs.
Partner-Led Customer Success Specialization Recognizes Partner Capabilities
VMware’s new Partner-Led Customer Success Specialization recognizes partner capabilities in delivering a consistent and excellent customer experience. Partners can now engage with Customer Success activities in three ways:
- Deliver Partner-Led Success through accreditation
- Collaborate to deliver VMware Success 360
- Resell VMware Success 360
Customer Success practices help ensure customers continuously realize value from cloud, SaaS, and subscription offerings and achieve outcomes faster. Access this video to learn more.
The transformation of VMware’s Partner Connect program offers one unified program allowing all partners to benefit. The enhancements recognize and reward partner capabilities and performance while delivering an elevated experience. Optimized incentives and programs help partners accelerate transition to SaaS and subscription businesses and capture the opportunity in multi-cloud.
