QlikView QlikAcademy targets partner quality

QlikView SA's annual channel training and accreditation conference, QlikAcademy, stepped up its focus on quality this year, to help the company manage rapid ongoing growth of its QlikView BI platform.

The event ran during the second week of August in Johannesburg, training approximately 70 delegates from 25 partner firms and honouring two firms for their outstanding performance at an awards ceremony.

Davide Hanan, MD of QlikView SA, says the company grew strongly throughout the global recession and beyond, even as many others in the industry struggled to cope.

There is also a lot of excitement around the recent listing of QlikTech, on the 15th July on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The IPO was very well received in the industry and the share price has increased by more than 90% in less than two months.

"We have continued to grow at an average of 15 new customers per month this year and recently passed the 500th customer milestone," Hanan says. "The latest version of our platform, QlikView 9, has been enjoying much success in the enterprise since its launch in October 2009. Last month we signed our two biggest orders ever!"

With the growth in customer numbers and deal sizes, QlikView is approached almost daily by channel partner hopefuls, he says. But rather than simply open the floodgates, QlikView saw in this a unique opportunity to strengthen its channel, which acts as the vendor's external sales force and a vital first customer touch-point.

"We use QlikAcademy as a means to increase the quality and level of skills in our channel," says Hanan. "Where performance is an issue, we're giving our partners the chance to deepen their knowledge and improve their staff certification."

He says a quality channel will do justice to a quality platform. "QlikView enjoys critical acclaim for setting the new standards in BI with its revolutionary associative in-memory architecture. Traditional BI was developed in the late eighties and belongs in that era. In 2010 we need to deliver solutions in line with current needs and the technology available to us," says Hanan. "The goal with QlikAcademy 2010 is to back this up with quality service. Our partners must understand where the product is going and be able to act as true ambassadors," he adds.

For three days during the second week of August in Johannesburg, QlikView thus put delegates through their paces. These included resellers and implementation partners.

To qualify as a certified QlikView partner, candidates must attend QlikAcademy classes, take an online examination and pass with more than 90%, and achieve a score of 70% by resolving a practical problem with an appropriate QlikView solution.

During the conference, awards were also handed out, one to recognise QlikView SA's Partner of the Year and another for Outstanding Contribution.

Partner of the Year was taken by Durban-based Insight Consulting. The firm outshone its challengers in the following criteria:

* Knowledge of the product
* Professionalism
* Sales achieved current year
* Continuous growth, both year-on-year and in terms of consultants, and
* Contribution to QlikView's brand and standing

Upuli de Abrew, director at Insight Consulting, says QlikAcademy continues to provide invaluable insight into the future direction and capabilities of QlikView, helping partners improve their service and embrace the opportunities in upcoming releases.

"Having had firsthand experience of complex BI software, long deployment cycles and inflexible structures leaving users feeling frustrated, I found great opportunity in QlikView's simplicity and rapid implementation. We are honoured and delighted with this award."

The award for Outstanding Contribution was won by Johannesburg-based Business Intelligent, for its recent implementation at SAB. Nicholas Bell, MD at the company says QlikAcademy proved "incredibly valuable" at helping the firm's consultants understand best practice implementation, as well as QlikView's sales methodology and principles.

Bell says the company's partnership with QlikView is a significant contributor to its success. "It allows us to provide clients with cutting-edge technology that very few are able to compete with."

"We believe that with all the growth indicators on our side, we're on a winning track. I have the utmost faith in our channel to do that promise justice," concludes Hanan.