Wyse launches formal channel program

Thin-client vendor Wyse Technology has launched its first formal partner program, opening a market development fund (MDF) for Gold and Platinum partners who achieve a quarterly POS of US$10,000 or more from distributors Express Data and Alstom IT.

Stevan Caldwell, regional marketing manager at Wyse said the vendor would contribute one percent of net purchases from either distributor towards a fund for marketing development activities.

The company is also providing web-based training and support via a new web university operation. Resellers who complete these courses will become Authorised, Gold or Platinum partners under the program, he said.

'We want to demonstrate commitment to our partners and reward partners for investing in the Wyse business', he said.

Under the program, Authorised resellers receive no cost training at the university, an authorised partner certificate and subscription to the company's online sales and technical toolkit, available on the partner extranet. They are also required to register at least two current, full-time staff on the extranet.

The same applies for Gold partners who must also employ two full-time staff who are graduates of the Winterm Sales Certificate at the university. They must also have a dedicated Wyse landing page on their website and display the Gold Partner certification logos on the landing and homepages.

Top-level Platinum partners are appointed by invitation only, the company said. These partners must employ an additional two graduates of the Advanced Wyse Winterm Sales and Wyse Software courses at the university. Platinum partners are capable of receiving one-and-a-half percent in MDF, said Caldwell.

Both Gold and Platinum partners are passed qualified sales leads resulting from Wyse marketing campaigns and lead generation activities and are offered free demonstration software licenses as the company launches new products in Australia. Wyse currently has 60 active reseller partners of which 15 to 20 are Gold partners, he said.