Symantec: Services are more profitable

VP of Channel, David Dzienciol (pictured), has told The Channel why the company's move to offer its consulting business to the channel is a win-win situation.

We reported on Monday that, in an effort to extend its consulting business, Symantec would offer its consulting services strategy to qualified channel partners. Speaking to The Channel today about the major move, David Dzienciol, VP of Channels, Global Strategic Partners and SMBs in Asia Pacific and Japan, said that there will be a clear path of opportunity for the channel.

“It’s an exciting time for our channel. Partners are always looking for ways to drive new services into the marketplace because they’re more profitable than traditional software and hardware margins. Partners have always played a part in delivering services into the marketplace. What this announcement does is help provide clarity for partners to ensure there isn’t any confusion around whether Symantec are going to be competing for those services.”

Dzienciol said that partners would have to have existing skills or commit resources to enable themselves to perform the services required. By signing up to provide these services Symantec will provide tools and resources to ensure a smooth implementation of solutions.

The first phase of the shift will see Symantec work with a small, select group of partners. “We’ll work with bringing our partners up to speed until we’re confident that we’ve got partners ready and capable.”

Dzienciol said that for Symantec New Zealand is a very strong marketplace around data protection and security products. “Around those core areas we already have a number of large national based New Zealand partners that already have some capability today. We’ll work closely with them to ensure we can bring them up to speed as quickly as possible to ensure it’s a win-win situation.”