Symantec's $100m services gift to channel

Vendor admits process of transferring consulting work to partners is taking longer in UK than elsewhere in Europe

Jason Ellis: Apart from a few global customers, we are now out of the billing and booking business

Symantec claims that it has thrown $100m (£63.82m) of EMEA services business the way of its channel as it moves to a partner-led consulting model.

The storage and security giant recently elected to put partners in charge of delivering and billing consultancy work for the vast majority of customers in the region.

Jason Ellis, EMEA channel vice president at Symantec, said the process was well under way with partners that have invested to become specialists in specific technology areas the main beneficiaries.

“$100m of Symantec invoiced services are now conducted and transacted by our partners,” he said. “Apart from a few global customers, we are now out of the billing and booking business.

“Building a more capable channel has negated any reason why Symantec needs to bill the customer.”

Symantec admitted the transition was taking longer in the UK than elsewhere in Europe because of the larger size of the country’s services organisation. But Ellis stressed all new consultancy sales were already being handled by partners.

Stuart Balshaw, senior director of the Commercial Division at Symantec UK, said all legacy contracts would have been transitioned to partners by the end of Symantec’s fiscal year in March 2011.