Symantec expands reseller specialisation program

Symantec has today expanded its specialisation categories for reseller partners to include 'archiving and eDiscovery'.

The announcement comes as the security giant continues its mission to specialise partners in a number of core competencies by April 2011 - the beginning of its next financial year.

Partners can achieve the 'archiving and eDiscovery' specialisation by successfully completing sales and technical accreditations for Symantec Enterprise Vault product.

Symantec unveiled its channel refreshment plans at its inaugural Asia Pacific Partner Engage Summit in China this April.

At the time, Symantec made available four specialty programs: endpoint management; small to medium business (launched in October 2009); data loss prevention; and data specialisation.

Also at the event, Symantec announced its decision to transform its relationship with partners from its traditional revenue-based tiered system of registered, silver, gold and platinum to a competency-based approach.

Symantec claimed that specialisation would give qualified partners financial incentives including promotions and rebates and technical resources.

David Dzienciol, Symantec's vice president of channel sales for Asia Pacific and Japan, told CRN that Symantec is after "quality rather than quantity".

Symantec has allocated 12 months to skill up its partners before it announces its "Enhanced" Partner Program", scheduled for release on 1 April 2011, he said. 

"In April we set out our 12 month vision ... our objectives continue to be to release additional programs that enable partners to be specialised," said Dzienciol.

"We recognise that partners have made investments in the existing partner program, and we have to give them time [to adjust]," he said.

Dzienciol said more areas of specialisation will be released in the next 90 days. 

"You'll see us do it country-by-country. We're trying to ensure we're being clear around their requirements so [partners] can differentiate.

"As I talk to partners, they're encouraged by the speed we're releasing the specialisations," said Dzienciol.