VMware Unveils Next Evolution of Partner Connect Program to Enable the Cloud-Smart Ecosystem

Today, is a groundbreaking day as we announced the next evolution of VMware Partner Connect maximizing partner investments and to help partners harness the growing opportunity in multi-cloud. As a single, unified, global program, Partner Connect's new framework provides a flexible point system that rewards partners throughout the value continuum. The new VMware Partner Connect is focused on driving partner capabilities aligned to VMware SaaS and subscription strategy inclusive of all business models and routes to market and allowing partners the flexibility to choose their own journey mapped to how they go to market.

New Partner Connect Structure: What's Changing

Partners will be recognized for their capabilities and performance as they engage and support the customer lifecycle:

• Unified engagement through a new flexible point system that recognizes, aggregates, and rewards partner accomplishments through pre-sales, purchase and post-sales motions including customer adoption and consumption.
• Support of four business models under a single program: Solution Services, Solution Builder, Cloud Solution Provider, and Solution Reseller.
• Scalable joint GTM with VMware field sales teams to expedite partner-led services delivery, including aligned incentives and recognition of partner influence on revenue.
• Self-serve access to automated real-time performance dashboard that provides insights and visibility toward key Partner Connect program milestones focused on level progression thereby increasing benefit and incentive profile.
• Introduction of the new Pinnacle level focused on VMware's most strategic and transformational partners.
• Broadening of the benefits portfolio inclusive of access education credits and vouchers, expanded test drive and NFR licenses, and Ignite mapped to partner levels around access.
• Simplifying program operations and audit processes by aligning to the VMware fiscal calendar and replacing the annual program fee requirement with a one-time enrollment fee for new partners only.

New Self-Service Preview Dashboard Providing Visibility into Performance

With the evolution of Partner Connect, a new self-service dashboard will provide partners with visibility into where they stand in the new program structure. The dashboard makes it easy for partners to track progression and competencies achieved, while also allowing them to target areas of focus and accelerate to the next level.

New VMware Go-To-Market Play System to Support Business Transformation

VMware's new Go-To-Market (GTM) Play System brings together fragmented GTM programs into a streamlined engine with defined solutions to address customer challenges. This newly streamlined portfolio of sales plays focuses on transformational business challenges (Strategy Plays) and discrete IT solutions (Velocity Plays) by providing implementation-ready plays with unified enablement and incentives to ensure end-to-end alignment from partner capability development to customer success.

Build Your VMware Practice with VMware Ignite

As part of the transformation of Partner Connect, VMware Ignite will now be more broadly available for new and committed partners and distributors that want to build their VMware practices. VMware Ignite is a unique partner practice activation and development program with a rigorous and proven methodology that offers structured development paths to build capabilities across technical, sales, and marketing functions. This proven methodology drives our partners to develop formalized VMware practices, resulting in industry-leading partner return on investment and monetization. 

New VMware Ecosystem Solutions Partner Studio

VMware's Ecosystem Solutions Partner Studio drives strategic relevancy by enabling VMware Partners to create solutions through our co-innovation path with Solutions Lab or our digital self-service Solutions Hub. Solutions Lab provides our partners with a comprehensive program of guided assistance and support from VMware experts to help partners refine, realize, and take their vision-inspired ideas to market. Solutions Hub offers a low-touch integrated self-service platform providing partners the freedom to create, curate, activate, and publish qualified badged solutions with global visibility. VMware Solutions Labs or Solutions Hub supports our partners' go-to-market strategy needs.

Partner-Led Customer Success Specialization Recognizes Partner Capabilities

VMware's new Partner-Led Customer Success Specialization recognizes partner capabilities in delivering a consistent and excellent customer experience. Partners can now engage with Customer Success activities in three ways:

• Deliver Partner-Led Success through accreditation
• Collaborate to deliver VMware Success 360
• Resell VMware Success 360

Customer Success practices help ensure customers continuously realize value from cloud, SaaS, and subscription offerings and achieve outcomes faster. Access this video to learn more.

The transformation of VMware's Partner Connect program offers one unified program allowing all partners to benefit. The enhancements recognize and reward partner capabilities and performance while delivering an elevated experience. Optimized incentives and programs help partners accelerate transition to SaaS and subscription businesses and capture the opportunity in multi-cloud.

Partner Perspectives on the News

"VMware Partner Connect modernizes and helps to future-proof the partner experience with VMware," said Cyndi Privett, vice president of research and owner, Viewpoint Research. "The changes we see VMware delivering in the Partner Connect program are a recognition of the quickly evolving market dynamics that are requiring partners of all sizes to rethink their business models. By bringing various models together under one VMware program with a more simplified experience, VMware can help partners' transition to as-a-service/subscription models, expand their services portfolios, and better leverage their investments."

"We love that this new points-based system for progression will recognize and reward partners like Insight for the results-based strategic growth we achieve with our shared customers," said Joyce Mullen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Insight Enterprises. "The recognition of our total achievements and capabilities as part of the VMware Partner Connect Program is a key driver for the continued investment in growing our VMware solutions business."

"VMware's newly transformed Partner Connect program will provide ITQ with opportunities to drive our SaaS and subscription sales and allow for more services-led growth opportunities," said Dennis Hoegen Dijkhof, Managing Director, ITQ Consultancy The Netherlands. "Partner Connect's redesigned flexible points-based framework will recognize ITQ for all the ways we create value for our customers, including influence-driven engagement, and rewards us for the totality of our achievements and capabilities with simplified tier progression."

"The refreshed VMware Partner Connect program will increase our operational efficiency while recognizing and rewarding our capabilities across all our regions," said Brian Connors, VP and GM Software and Business Development, Lenovo. "The flexibility of Partner Connect's program gives us increased opportunity not just as a Global OEM, but also as a services partner driving TruScale and VMware Subscription and SaaS solutions through our channels. From a management perspective, the new structure enables us to manage our performance more easily through a comprehensive, global view that enables unified engagement to unlock benefits for our multiple entities."

"The enhanced Partner Connect Program will give us more access to financial benefits and go-to-market resources to drive our SaaS and subscription sales," said Adrianna Bustamante, vice president, global alliances and partnerships, Rackspace Technology. "As our business grows and evolves, the program flexibility will provide enhanced profitability through aligned incentives. This type of value from VMware will provide Rackspace Technology with the foundation we need to help our customers become 'Cloud Smart'.

Thank you for your partnership.

Tracy-Ann Palmer

Vice President,
Partner Programs and Experience

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