WatchGuard revamps partner program

WatchGuard is overhauling its partner program. The move executives say will better enforce reseller training and certifications and bolster sales of its next-generation firewalls and other networking gear to larger businesses.

The WatchGuardONE partner program shifts the company's traditional program that provided volume-based discounts to one that incentivizes a partner's skill level, said Alex Thurber, VP, Sales, WatchGuard Technologies.

"The whole idea that the pure volume of what a partner does is a true reflection of the value that they bring to a customer is simply not true," Thurber said. "At the end of day we need happy customers and safe customers that are guided by committed partners."

It is moving to a Web-based, proctored testing model, eliminating the open-book testing done in the past. Training is free. The single certification test costs $200 under the new program. Partners will have time to get the appropriate accreditation under the program. The changes don't take full effect until January 1, 2015, Thurber said.

"I think it is critically important that our mutual customers are working with partners that are well trained and so we're driving a true certification model that ties our investment back to the level of training our partner's receive," Thurber said.

The new, three-tiered model has a silver, gold and platinum tier. Silver-levelpartnersmust commit to one certified sales engineer and one sales rep to receive a standard upfront discount. Gold-level partners must have two sales engineers and two sales reps under the program to get an additional upfront discount as well as a back-end discount paid every month and eligibility for staff to receive special co-op reward dollars. Platinum partners must maintain at least three trained sales engineers and three sales reps and agree to a $100,000 quarterly volume commitment under the program.

The company also added support for multi-channel selling, providing partners with the flexibility to sell online, in-store or in-person to support customer requirements.

Industry analysts say WatchGuard is under increased pressure from Sophos and Fortinet in the small and mid-size market for unified threat management appliances and wants to compete in the upper mid-market and enterprise level with its line of next-generation firewalls and subscription-based intrusion prevention service.