VMware (CEO Raghu Raghuram), a global leader in enterprise software, is innovating its partner program around cloud and customer success by providing incentives to partners to accelerate the transition to SaaS, subscription, and service-based business models.

VMware announced on the 22nd an innovative upgrade to 'VMware Partner Connect,' an integrated global program for all partners.

Through the newly upgraded Partner Connect program, VMware provides a flexible framework to support partners' market strategies, accelerates their growth, and rewards their overall performance and capabilities. Some of these benefits are currently available and applied immediately, while several additions and improvements are planned for the future.

VMware partners can enjoy the benefits of the revamped program, including a flexible points system, a streamlined tiering structure, and a business model-centric approach, while improving efficiency and profitability through enhanced self-service and automation capabilities. Partner Connect provides rewards that consider various ways of creating value, encompassing both performance improvement and capability enhancement. Partner tier upgrades are also conducted based on a new point system rather than through complex IT channels.

Partners who achieve the newly added Pinnacle tier can experience significantly greater financial benefits and VMware support, including managed customer coverage, joint business plan development, and access to core business programs.

In addition, Partner Connect supports all four business models—solution services, solution development, cloud solution delivery, and solution reseller—under a single program. VMware integrates support for all business models by establishing a flexible and collaborative framework that encompasses these four business models.

Partners can utilize the newly added self-service dashboard to easily grasp their status within the program and check various metrics necessary for VMware business management, such as promotions, incentives, and acquired competency qualifications.

Focusing on customer success is a key strategy to enable customers to derive continuous value through cloud, SaaS, and subscription services, while simultaneously realizing lifecycle services, which VMware has identified as a major revenue driver.

The newly added Partner-led Customer Success Specialization Program in Partner Connect presents three options to effectively support customer success. Partners can build comprehensive services in-house through specialization, collaborate with the VMware Customer Success Team, or become resellers of the VMware Success 360 program to provide VMware solution-based guidance on customers' multi-cloud journeys and support continuous value realization and rapid achievement of results.

Tracy-Ann Palmer, Vice President of Partner Experience, Programs, and Investment at VMware, stated, “VMware plans to apply lessons learned from thousands of partners to this Partner Connect innovation to support partners in transforming their businesses while maintaining performance. VMware is committed to ensuring partners do not miss out on massive growth opportunities in multi-cloud environments.” She added, “Through this innovation, all partners can benefit from a single, integrated program that provides a more flexible, effective, streamlined path, and diverse tools for managing VMware businesses. VMware will spare no effort in supporting partners through incentives and program optimizations to further advance their SaaS and subscription businesses, and to turn cloud-centric business models and economics into revenue.”