Today Extreme announced enhancements to the Extreme Partner Network (EPN) that included a number of new incentives and rewards for Extreme partners. I’m ecstatic to be able to finally share our new program offerings that will recognize our partners’ hard work and dedication to the Extreme community. I’m also looking forward to how the enhancements will support the growth of our solutions selling and net new customer acquisition strategy, as well as overall expansion of our global partner ecosystem. 

My team wanted to ensure our partners were given new ways to improve customer experiences and garner differentiation while ultimately driving new revenue streams and capitalizing on their investments. With that, the enhanced EPN will focus mainly on two objectives: increasing partner profitability and simplifying the way partners do business. Here are some key facts you should know about the recent evolution of the EPN:

• Solutions rebates for ExtremeManagement, ExtremeControl, ExtremeAnalytics and ExtremeWireless – Extreme is increasing rebates for wireless sales, including a possible 50 percent rebate increase for qualifying Wireless Specialized Partner selling ExtremeWireless products.
• Enhanced Extreme Development Funds (EDF) accrual model – brings increased predictability to EDF and ease of upfront marketing planning for qualifying partners.
• New deal registration program – offers fixed upfront discounts for new Extreme-approved customer deal registrations, increased price protection and a new tool to increase partner visibility. Partners now have access to the new accounts rebate promotion, which applies for Extreme-approved net new customer closed deal registrations.
• Eligibility for the solutions rebate program now available for gold level partners, in addition to platinum and diamond partners – gold and other qualified partner levels are also able to apply for strategic EDF funds for high ROI initiatives.
• New service maintenance growth rebate – now available for new as well as renewed maintenance agreements for qualified partners.
• New training-as-a-service and self-paced training models – available to qualified partners in Q2 of FY17.

I’ll be talking more in depth about our program alongside the Extreme team at the Global Partner Summit taking place October 24-27, 2016 in Orlando, FL so be sure to mark your calendars! If you’d like to learn more about FY17 EPN and what partners worldwide have to say about the enhancements, read the press release here and visit Extreme’sPartner Program homepage here.

 This blog was originally authored by Gordon Mackintosh, VP Worldwide Channels.