Citrix is investing R25 million to train key channel partners and systems integrators in SA.
The company says more than 100 sales professionals and systems engineers are already undergoing training, with more expected to begin training in the next few months.
"We have made a strategic decision to begin the training with system integrators, and the programme will then be expanded to our broader VAR [value-added reseller] and VAD [value-added distributor] base," says Simon McCullough, channel manager at Citrix SA.
McCullough explains that channel partners represent Citrix's primary go-to-market strategy, making it important for the company to continue its longstanding channel leadership by building new opportunities for partners in cloud and mobile workstyle services through investment and training.
"We are committed to being the most profitable business for our partners, and this initiative is one such way to empower our channel," he says.
According to Citrix, with a surge in demand for cloud networking services to support the online, on-demand generation, the role of the channel has evolved to become more strategic and consultative.
As a result, it explains, the skills required have evolved to focus more on nurturing trusting relationships with customers, having a detailed understanding of business pain points and identifying solutions to challenges faced by organisations across SA.
"The rapid rate at which technology and solutions are advancing has presented an opportunity to further develop the skills and knowledge of our channel partners, particularly in relation to cloud networking expertise.
"As customers embrace technologies to enable a more flexible, cost-effective and efficient IT infrastructure, there is more opportunity than ever for channel partners to offer valuable insight and consultancy. This training initiative is designed to empower our channel partners to provide outstanding service to existing and prospective customers."
In a statement, Citrix says the training has been specifically designed to help sales professionals and systems engineers within its channel ecosystem to speak confidently with senior-level enterprise customers to articulate the value of enterprise mobility, cloud, networking and virtualisaiton solutions.
It also notes that the benefits of the programme will prove invaluable to the channel community, helping sales professionals develop the confidence and knowledge in enterprise solutions selling and giving systems engineers deeper understanding of the latest technologies and solutions.
The company adds that the sponsored training takes the form of a R200 000 voucher per person and entitles the holder to undergo a series of training courses to achieve qualifications such as Citrix Certified Integration Architect, for example.
"The success of an education programme is normally measured on reaction, learning, behaviour and results. While the latter points will take some time to become visible, the reaction we have had to the training has been fantastic. The channel community has really embraced the opportunity to enhance its skills and we have gained some fantastic insight into the areas that we could look to help develop in future," says McCullough.
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