Seagate opens door for channel recruitment

Seagate has admitted that its channel is fragmented

Seagate has admitted that its channel is fragmented, but the storage vendor claimed that the addition of 15,000 new partners, as well as launching a new channel programme will address its concerns.

The vendor is attempting to remove language barriers, while both rewarding loyalty and recruiting channel partners with its Seagate Partner Programme (SPP).

A final figure of about 20,000 EMEA channel partners is expected within the SPP as part of Seagate’s $100m channel investment.

“We have always had a partner programme, but now is the time to drive demand and build channel relationships,” said Henk van den Berg, marketing director for EMEA at Seagate.

“We are giving our channel the opportunity to evaluate our products and then we offer to provide the pre- and post-sales support they require.

“Our announcement is a combination of rewarding current partners and recruiting new ones.

“We have aimed for 15,000 new EMEA partners, but this is a regeneration programme so we expect some drop-off.”

Van den Berg added that Seagate has previously had a “fragmented, multi-tier channel, where language was a barrier”, but claimed the SPP can revamp its channel set-up.

James Ward, managing director of distribution partner Hammer, admitted he was initially surprised by the size of the recruitment push, but said Seagate has the breadth to take on that level of channel partners.

“The firm has a huge reseller reach and a great story to sell. It supports the channel well, and 15,000 new channel partners is a big, but attainable, figure,” he said.