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SAS partner programme drives mutual value


Johannesburg, 26 Nov 2015
Steven Harris, SAS regional alliance director for Middle East & Africa (MEA)
Steven Harris, SAS regional alliance director for Middle East & Africa (MEA)

SAS Institute's newly-revamped partner programme, set to come into effect in January next year, is designed to drive value and improve return on investment for both SAS partners and clients, says Steven Harris, SAS regional alliance director for Middle East & Africa (MEA).

The new programme comes off the back of 18 months of development and extensive consultations with partners and external council, and was officially unveiled at SAS headquarters in North Carolina in late September. Harris describes the programme as a "fundamental shift in the way we engage with partners", and says it is generating great excitement in the SAS partner community.

"The new programme creates a platform for growth and value creation, and the feedback that we have received to date is extremely positive. What excites our partners most is our new focus on driving partner enablement. This is what partners are looking for; this is simple, because the more we help partners build their skills and expertise, the more they can help drive value for their clients." Harris describes this - the first major revamp of the SAS partner programme in some years - as a platform for driving mutual value.

Harris explains that in addition to expanding on how SAS works with its partners, the SAS partner programme includes a set of new credentials and competency badges that partners can achieve for key SAS products and technologies.

SAS is also rolling out specialisations in key solutions areas like customer intelligence, fraud and risk. These credentials allow partners to differentiate themselves and demonstrate their SAS skills and expertise in solving customer problems. Partners have access to expanded training options that include online resources, a demo centre and sales enablement tools that give them the information they need to be more agile and responsive in supporting customer requirements.

SAS will hold a series of events and one-on-one meetings with its MEA partners over the next three months to elaborate on the new programme, which offers flexible partnering options like the new channel Go-To-Market Model. This includes a Reseller Model, OEM Model and a Managed Analytical Services Model, which allows partners to offer customers managed software and analytic services.

SAS welcomes new partners, says Harris, and notes the SAS partner network looks to creates new avenues for delivering and implementing successful SAS solutions. "Together, we align our Go-To-Market initiatives and centre those activities on solving our collective customers' most critical business challenges."

For more information on the SAS Institute partner programme, click here.

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