Since the introduction of the EMC Velocity Partner program in New Zealand, the EMC business has experienced a significant increase in the number of zero-touch transactions executed through the channel community.

Craig Stoddart, Country Manager for the EMC business in New Zealand sees this as representing a significant shift in focus for the business which now engages with EMC Velocity Partners wherever possible in selling an information infrastructure solution to a customer.

“Our Velocity partners play a critically important role in satisfying our customers' needs, and we are deeply committed to their success.  Our Velocity Partner Program provides all the tools, training, support and resources that a partner needs to increase their profitability and advance their business.  The program also offers a rich system of incentives that reward partner loyalty as partners continue to invest in the EMC relationship,” said Craig Stoddart.

The EMC Velocity Partner Program is designed to help partners of all types become more profitable selling EMC solutions, above and below the line, through incremental services revenue and managed services attach.

Partners chose the building blocks necessary for continuous advancements and growth in the markets they service.  There are four levels of the Velocity Partner Program; Signature, Premier, Advantage, and Associate.

Levels are dependant on the depth of the partner relationship with EMC and business potential. The EMC Velocity Partner Program supports EMC's rich range of partners according to their specific needs, giving them the building blocks for advancement and market growth.

Why join the EMC Velocity2 Partner Program? When you join EMC's Velocity Partner program, you enjoy rewards based on your level of commitment and investment with EMC.

As a Velocity Partner, you will have access to core program benefits, such as:    * EMC's market leadership and quality products—backed by award-winning service and support    * Special performance-based rebates    * World-class competency and skills development programs    * State-of-the-art business development and marketing support tools    * EMC-qualified leads and lead-generation tools to reduce costs and accelerate time to market    * Partner support centre dedicated to local partner enquiries   * Deal registration to realise additional discounts when selling EMC solutions premier Partner Requirements:   * Direct contractual relationship with EMC   * 5 x EMC accredited sales staff   * 5 x EMC accredited sales engineers   * Bi-annual business planning with completion of goal attainment forms.

David Henderson, EMC's General Manager of Partners and Alliances, is responsible for ensuring the company's hardware, software and service offerings are comprehensively represented across the channel community.

Henderson says partners who fully embrace the EMC Velocity Partner Program can maximise their revenue through three main annuity streams; hardware, software and services.

“By completing the EMC partner training program, channel partners become trusted advisors and gain access to a broad range of customers.  EMC encourages these partners to provide consultancy practices as well as implementation and support services,” he says.

Henderson believes it is imperative that EMC's channel partners understand the transformation that EMC has gone through in the last two years – transforming from an enterprise storage provider to offering a holistic suite of infrastructure solutions that enable companies of all sizes to store, protect, optimise and leverage their information.

“Successful partners will be those who embrace the new technologies added to the EMC information infrastructure solution set and who maximise the benefit from the company's investments.”

Henderson says that the relevance of EMC at all levels of the organisation has increased, allowing customers to have one conversation with a single vendor for all of their information infrastructure and management requirements.