Mapping of channel partners
EDITOR’ S QUESTION
John Bjorksten is Director Channel Sales EMEA at Forcepoint
certifications and proactive approach towards customers, the more margins. We are changing the channel landscape from being reactive and fulfilment to proactive. That is what we are rewarding as well, with everything from more discounts and more margins,” says Bjorksten.
Another vendor incentive for channel partners is to go to market with the complete Forcepoint product portfolio.“ At the same time we believe that selling the portfolio
SNAPSHOT is the way we can actually give the market something that nobody else can give.”
For Bjorksten, the channel is the extended workforce of Forcepoint. In order to articulate the values of the vendor, channel partners need to be as well trained as possible. Tierone partners or distributors are expected to manage the channel enablement, act as authorised training centres, provide proof of concept support, provide equipment for demonstrations, execute demand generation, facilitate meeting place, manage shipping and billing procedures. Tier two channel partners, when they resell, also need to complete the implementation, training, and support for the end customer.“ We do not have any of our own guys going out for implementation.”
From a channel offering point of view, the foundation of the Forcepoint partner programme is based on three pillars that the vendor always works with it. These are transparency, predictability, and profitability, for channel partners.“ We want to make sure whatever strategy we lay out that we actually fulfil the strategy, and when we make promises we keep the promises,” explains Bjorksten.
The Forcepoint partner programme has four levels for reseller partner segmentation and these include Associate, Silver, Gold,
Forcepoint, previously known as Websense and Raytheon-Websense, is owned by US defense contractor Raytheon, in a joint venture with private equity firm Vista Equity Partners.
Forcepoint was founded in 1994 and went public in the year 2000. In May 2013, Forcepoint was acquired by Vista Equity Partners and taken private for a total purchase price of $ 906 million. In April 2015, defense contractor Raytheon and Vista Equity Partners entered an agreement to form a new cybersecurity company, combining Raytheon Cyber Products with Websense.
In January 2016, it was announced that Raytheon Websense was renamed Forcepoint. Also in January 2016, Forcepoint acquired Stonesoft, McAfee Next Generation Firewall and Sidewinder, McAfee Firewall Enterprise from Intel Security. These newly acquired businesses expanded the cloud and hybrid capabilities of Forcepoint’ s TRITON security platform.
Forcepoint today is the combination of Raytheon Cyber Products, Websense, and Stonesoft.
Mapping of channel partners
Channel partners are mapped into transactional, tactical, strategic, system integrators, based on the following parametres:
• Type of solution competency with Forcepoint
• Type of solution competency with other vendors
• Extent of services associated with solution
• Extent of overall Forcepoint product portfolio offered
• Extent of fulfillment
• Investment in training
• Dedicated resources available
• Competency for implementation
• Geographic positioning
Platinum. According to Bjorksten,“ Deal registration is a key differentiator of this partner programme.” Reseller channel partners fall into these levels based on their investment in trainings and certifications and the size of business with the vendor. Other metrics used to qualify channel partners include levels of partnership, competence, loyalty, proactivity.
Another recent partner programme category for reseller channel partners is Managed Service Providers. The Stonesoft acquisition from Intel Security transferred their managed service provider partner programme into Forcepoint, including channel partners and customers within this programme. In this programme, channel partners sell the Forcepoint solution, either vendor branded or white labelled, investing in the hardware and software.
“ We are about to launch the managed service provider programme for our next generation firewall offering. We are going to of course evaluate where we are with that,” adds Bjorksten.“ It is just another way for us to reach the market.”
55