GFI Takes its Partner Program to the Next Level
An enhanced channel strategy that will enable its partners to better solve the IT issues of the small-to-medium-sized business (SMB) within the global marketplace
RALEIGH, N.C., June 28 // -- Building on the existing small-to- medium-sized business (SMB) channel strategy responsible for amassing thousands of global partners and more than 150,000 customers worldwide, GFI Software, an international leader and developer of network security, content security and messaging software, announced today several enhancements to its Global Partner Program to be rolled out regionally beginning in the United States. The improved program will further help GFI partners resolve the security and messaging challenges faced within the SMB market.
Better Channel Sales Margins Eliminate Competition between Partner Categories
To lay the foundation for the new enhancements, GFI has improved and segmented the sales margins to differentiate between the pricing strategies used by its value added reseller (VAR) and direct market reseller (DMR) partners, reducing price competition between these two partnership categories. Aiding the facilitation of improved margins, VARs can now qualify for GFI's Gold, Silver and Bronze partnership levels, which are based on revenue attainment, sales and technical competencies, and local presence. The DMR partners will qualify for product rebates and marketing development funds based on achieving annual performance goals.
"Given that SMBs make up the vast majority of the worldwide economy, many software companies are developing 'lite' software versions for this market that were originally intended for enterprise-level companies," said Charlotte Dunlap, information security analyst of Current Analysis. "In contrast, GFI's philosophy has always been to build its solutions to solve the security and messaging issues for the SMB market and price those solutions to meet the limited IT budget resources."
Improving the Partner's Ability to Solve IT Challenges
All partners, Gold, Silver and Bronze, are eligible for solution sales techniques training, product certification, free software evaluation, electronic sales collateral and the monthly GFI Reseller eNewsletter. In addition, partners qualifying at the Gold and Silver tiers receive added benefits such as technical certification, channel account management and qualified leads.
"One of the improved benefits of our channel program is the stronger focus on training," said Curtis H. Staker, CEO and chairman of GFI. "Since the majority of our customers own just one or two products out of our portfolio of nine, we are going to teach our partners how to sell full solutions to solve a greater number of IT issues for the SMB market."
In addition to the enhanced programs, GFI will support its VAR and DMR partners with geographically distributed channel account managers and inside channel account managers. Located in Western, Midwestern and Eastern United States' geographies, the outside channel managers will work directly with Gold-level VARs, while the inside channel managers will work with directly with the Silver partners on market development initiatives.
The Global Partner Program will be made available to the EMEA and APAC regions early in Q3 2006. In addition, GFI will provide sales and technical content to qualifying partners through the GFI reseller Website during Q3, and courses for technical certification will be available starting in Q4. For more information about GFI's Global Partner Program, visit www.gfi.com/ .
About GFI
GFI is a leading provider of network security, content security and messaging software. Key products include the GFI FAXmaker fax connector for Exchange and SMTP mail servers; GFI MailSecurity e-mail content/exploit checking and anti-virus software; GFI MailEssentials server-based anti-spam software; GFI MailArchiver an e-mail archiving solution; GFI LANguard Network Security Scanner (N.S.S.) security scanning and patch management software; GFI Network Server Monitor that automatically sends alerts, and corrects network and server issues; GFI LANguard Security Event Log Monitor (S.E.L.M.) that performs event log based intrusion detection and network-wide event log management; GFI LANguard Portable Storage Control that enables network-wide control of removable media and GFI WebMonitor, HTTP/FTP monitoring and anti- virus software for ISA Server. Clients include Microsoft, Telstra, Time Warner Cable, NASA, DHL, Caterpillar, BMW, the US IRS and the USAF. GFI has offices in the US, the UK, Germany, Cyprus, Romania, Australia and Malta, and operates through a worldwide network of distributors. GFI is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and has won the Microsoft Fusion (GEM) Packaged Application Partner of the Year award. For more information about GFI, visit www.gfi.com/ .
All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Source: GFI Software
CONTACT: Matt Schwarz, +1-612-573-3117, or schwarzm@fleishman.com , or
Jessica Smith, +1-612-573-3149, or smithj@fleishman.com , both for GFI
Software
Web site: www.gfi.com/
