THE PARTNER PROGRAM OUTLINES INVESTMENTS REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE RETURNS

SANJAY MANOHAR
M.D.,
McAfee Software India Pvt. Ltd.

NEED OF A PARTNER PROGRAMME

A partner program provides the guidelines in which a business can create a growth plan. These programs and guidelines create predictability so that there is certainty in that plan. The program outlines investments required to achieve returns. With this, a business can determine what investments they can make.

IMPORTANCE OF A PARTNER PROGRAMME

Yes, a company running a partner program and go-to-market strategy must make investments every year. Some investments sustain the foundation of the program fundamentals, like systems and enablement. And some investments must be aligned to strategy and continued evolution of the program given market and industry dynamics. This is particularly true in a growing market, but even in flat or declining markets there must be investment to support the program. At McAfee, we are constantly working to improve our program and that requires changes in investment or additional investment to be competitive in the market.

MAIN CONCERNS TO ADDRESS

A partner program is made up of benefits and requirements. There must be a balance and fairness to the relationship between the two. Partner profitability must be put at the forefront and there must be a clear path to profitability given the requirements set to be in the program. For instance, there must be due diligence done to require the right amount of training to enable a partner, but not too much training such that it results in higher costs in time and resource that cannot be off-set by sales. Even “free” training costs a partner resource time. In other words, the benefits have to more than pay off the cost of the requirements.