Unify Launches New Partner Program

Unify has unveiled a new channel partner program, designed to provide partners worldwide with more opportunities. The new "Unify Partner Program" comes shortly after Unify's announcement of transformation from a hardware company to one focusing on software and services, and rewards partners for their expertise.

The Unify Partner Program is designed to give partners varying levels of rewards. It offers incentives, as well as opportunities to increase profits, and an accelerated ROI. The important thing, however, is delivering profit predictability, so that partners know what sort of profit they'll be getting based on investment. As such, the new program includes improved differentiation based around specialization and expertise.

Additionally, Unify is making more of its UC portfolio available to the channel. This includes OpenScape Voice, OpenScape 4000, and OpenScape Business, which has been scaled to include over 1,000 users. Thanks to the program framework, new products and solutions can also be added in the future. Partners can sell all products if they choose to, or focus on a specific line.

Ideally, unify is aiming for customers needing around 1,250 lines. The enterprise-level OpenScape Voice is also available for partners to sell, although tougher competition is expected there, as direct sales representatives can also sell OpenScape Voice. On that note, inside reps receive the same amount for deals made through partners as they do on direct deals, so partners and direct sales representatives will be working closely together in the near future.

Although Unify has had a partner program in place for seven years, the changing market, as well as its own changing focus, necessitated the change. As the company has various product sets, and its partners have different specializations, it wanted a program that can work for any of them in unique ways, rather than the "one-size-fits-all" style it used before. Thus, the new program will bring new rules of engagement, as well as different compensation for direct sales.

"This is a massive change for Unify, as they commit to being a partner-committed vendor," says Blair Pleasant, UC Expert for UCStrategies. "Their timing is good, as they have a new brand and new product launch, and as the industry is in the state of transition from hardware to software and from premises-based to cloud-based and hybrid solutions. Although they're behind the curve in terms of focusing more effectively on partners and having a well-thought out partner program, this is an important step for Unify, and is key to their future success."

The new and improved partner program from Unify should prove helpful to its partners, and hopefully draw new partners in. The previous partner program earned several awards, so Unify has a good history, and the hope is that this new program will prove to be even better.