Smartsheet seeks local partners

Collaboration platform provider Smartsheet is on the hunt for more Australian partners.

Smartsheet offers a SaaS platform that allows teams to share information about projects across multiple organisations. The service integrates with other tools including Microsoft Teams, Tableau and Adobe's marketing products. Links to legacy project management apps are also possible.

The company recently opened a Sydney office to grow its presence here and across the Asia-Pacific region, and appointed former Tableau chief Nigel Mendonca as vice-president for the region to get the job done.

Mendonca yesterday told CRN that Smartsheet already has a number of partners in Australia, headed by Aquion which is a hybrid reseller and distie for the vendor.

Smartsheet doesn’t plan expanded distribution, but is looking for more partners.

“Our ideal partner is services-led,” Smartsheet head of global channels Steve Stewart told CRN. “We want to make sure that new partners can embrace our value proposition and get the certifications to succeed."

New partner recruits will also be welcomed if they have domain expertise in construction, financial services and government, three markets Stewart and Mendonca said they feel are the most fertile for Smartsheet adoption.

Domain expertise is important because Mendonca hopes that partners will not just champion Smartsheet, but use their industry knowledge to add value to the platform with their own extensions and integrations.

Smartsheet will hire channel-specific staff to help local partners get to market.

Stewart also explained that the company has a direct sales force it will deploy in the region, but that it avoids conflict by ensuring compensation for its own staff is not reduced if they bring partners into deals.