Nutanix Enables Partner Transition To New Channel Program With Support Center

Nutanix, an enterprise cloud computing provider, has launched a global partner program designed to re-define the partner engagement journey. The program, Elevate, will bring together Nutanix’s global partner ecosystem – value added resellers (VARs) and value added distributors (VADs); service providers (SPs) and telcos; hyperscalers; independent software, hardware, and platform vendors; global system integrators; and services delivery partners – under one integrated architecture to deliver simplification, profitability, and an accelerated multi-product, multi-cloud roadmap towards partners’ business transformation.

Elevate simplifies engagement for Nutanix’s entire partner ecosystem using a consistent set of tools, resources, and marketing platforms provided in a new partner portal. Partner marketing teams will have access to Nutanix marketing materials and campaigns with the integration of the Zift Solutions through-channel marketing automation platform. Additional enhancements include a new ‘Performance+ Deal Registration’ designed to increase incentive potential and opportunity protection.

Enabling Partner Transition

Nutanix has launched an Americas Partner Support Center (PSC) – a team of dedicated channel sales, system engineers, and marketing resources – to deliver an enhanced partner experience and usher the partner community through the transition along with ongoing presales support.

The PSC, said Christian Goffi, Vice President Americas Channel Sales, was created to provide a level of support, “an extension of our touch that needed to happen.” Nutanix recognizes that some existing partners may need help making a slow but steady transition to the new program. The PSC staff has been set up to proactively engage partners to ensure that they fully understand the new program and help them to complete activities associated with meeting their tier criteria. “We don’t want to get to the point where we’re in the last month of the time allowed to meet the minimum requirements where partners are not aware of what needs to be done in order to get there.”

Goffi said that the PSC will remain in place even after all partners have transitioned to the new program. “We foresee that the partner support center is here to stay,” said Goffi. “This is not something that’s here only to provide a concierge service through the transition phase. This is a model that we’re establishing now and we’re looking to grow it. And a lot of our success in the future has to do with how successful we are in that partner support center.”

The PSC provides additional support to partners that Nutanix may not have assigned a dedicated channel sales manager. “Now they will have a place to go to where we will be answering their questions,” said Goffi.

Data Informed Decisions

The integration of the Nutanix partner program on a single platform will provide the company with easier access to its channel data. Nutanix has historically been a data-focused company, said Goffi. “However, this opens up a whole new stream of incoming data that we didn’t have before.”

The information collected will provide deeper insights into deal registrations, for instance, providing information on “the type of products that are involved, the type of customer, then region, the competencies.” Having better access to data, he continued, will help Nutanix better understand how to collaborate with specific partners. “With analytics, to support those decisions, it gets us a lot closer to having the right plans customized on a partner-by-partner basis. The new portal is going to open the door to gathering more data that we can use effectively,” he said.

Goffi said that a significant increase in channel-initiated deals will be a clear indication of Elevate’s success. But the key to that, he added, is the ability of Elevate to enhance the capabilities and competencies of its partner ecosystem. “The key for our future, our success and scalability comes from having more competent partners representing our brand. We’re setting the conditions to light a path for our partners to follow that the more engineering and sales competencies and expertise you have the more profitable we’re going to be for you.”