Copy data virtualisation solutions vendor Actifio, has announced plans that will see it appoint a select number of channel partners to provide cloud services in the Middle East.
The plan comes as the vendor looks to identify and partner with a small but targeted number of resellers to become its cloud provider partners.
Grant Amos, general manager, MEA at Actifio, said as partner margins on hardware have continued to be squeezed in the market, Actifio is looking at ways to help channel partners to grow their business by offering service-oriented solutions.
Amos said Actifio is readying to launch a Cloud Provider Programme in the region and is seeking the new breed of solution providers who offer differentiated offerings to partner with the company. “We want to appoint channel partners and service providers who can provide services via the different forms of cloud services be it private, public or hybrid,” he added.
He said in hammering out details for the programme, Actifio wants channel partners to embrace solutions and services leaning selling for their clients as that transforms them to be trusted advisor, while strengthening the value proposition to C-level executives. “This means new revenue opportunities along with a tremendous services drag and increasing your customer wallet share versus the competition,” he explained.
Amos said the company has already partnered with a managed services provider in KSA and is looking to appoint a partner in each country in the Gulf. “We are seeking to engage with SIs and solution provider partners that are willing to take different route in the market to grow their businesses,” he pointed out.
He explained that for partners to grow in such a highly competitive channel landscape, they have to offer services and this programme is being rolled out with that in mind. “With the rapid pace of channel in IT, partners are faced with difficult decisions to make. They have to decide whether they want to do business as usual with margins being squeezed or embrace solutions and services,” he said.
Amos said with most organisations have virtualised most of their IT infrastructure, opportunities for the solutions Actifio provides are huge. “About 50% of our revenue globally comes from service providers. In launching this initiative, we are help our partners to navigate some of the challenges they are encountering in the market,” he added.
