‘We have an answer for all stages of a partner’s journey’: Trend Micro director strategic channels Europe on revamped partner scheme

Christina Decker discusses how the new programme will help partners improve profitability

Trend Micro has updated its partner programme as it looks to increase partner profitability.

While the first iteration of the programme focused on traditional reselling; offering training, rebates, and incentives to help partners earn more, Decker admits there was a gap.

She tells CRN that the time was right to “focus on partners who provide services to their customers and ensure they can become more profitable with their service-based business with Trend Micro.”

The renewed track was born based on various initiatives and feedback sources, including the vendor’s European partner advisory board which includes some of its most strategic collaborators.

It allowed it to gauge their level of maturity, as well as the amount of support needed for their success.

The vendor also studied the predictions from market analysts to establish the updated programme.

According to her, this new model introduces “the right tools, access to training, more earning potential, and the ability to understand what data [Trend Micro] can provide in terms of platform adoption”

This includes new competencies, expanded rebates, and training paths.

“This new programme model will help partners earn more and become more profitable, while having all the tools necessary to deliver a better service offering to customers,” says Decker.

Tiers and training

The track also offers new certifications.

Decker explains that partners can progress through different tiers, starting with foundation training and moving towards the ‘Skilled’ tier, which unlocks financial benefits, such as rebates.

She says that this tier should be achievable within two months, assuming partners meet Trend Micro’s requirements, such as completing essential training and technical certifications, which lead to a foundational certification.

Partners can now get a core discount based on their tiering, and can earn more money by growing, bringing more customers onto the platform, and selling additional modules.

The channel scheme also combines MSP and MSSP into one competency, with dedicated offerings, such as the Vision One for Service Providers platform training, which aims to help partners in managing the platform and onboarding customers.

Firms are also able to choose whether they want to stay in the former benefit programme or want to join the new service approach.

Money making manoeuvre?

The update promises to deliver high margins, increased revenue, and lower costs to partners.

“We have an answer for all stages of a partner’s journey,” explains Decker.

“With this modernised programme, partners can earn more because we compensate them for each additional account, every module sold.”

MSPs, who can already leverage Vision One for Service Providers, will reportedly also boost their earnings by onboarding more customers, selling more modules, and increasing their customers’ health scores.

When accessing the next phase, they may move into a co-sell or co-managed model with Trend Micro if they need additional expertise from the vendor.

If a partner wants to become a SOC provider or already has a SOC, Decker says that “they will be able to works closely with the company’s technical team to understand what’s required to build a cybersecurity, SOC-related, or incident response service based on Vision One.”

UK partners and MSPs

Though unable to name specific partners without prior consent, Decker tells CRN the UK is already showing strong results.

“We’ve onboarded many UK partners.

“There are some amazing success stories already, with partners providing services based on Vision One, helping customers to be more secure, improving their health scores within the platform approach, or supporting customers to get a better understanding of their individual risk exposure.”

Regarding MSPs, the channel director highlights a unique dynamic in Europe.

Unlike other regions, many partners operate under hybrid models rather than functioning strictly as MSPs, enterprise-focused cybersecurity service providers, or traditional resellers.

“Many of them are active in the transactional space, while also offering managed services or infrastructure-related services, or already operating their own SOC,” says Decker.

She and Harold Nelissen, Trend Micro’s senior lead for the partner programme in Europe, will be in charge of the programme.

While the overall structure and approach will be the same in every country, thresholds will vary by market sizes.

“There’s a threshold for specific revenue, which is naturally higher in the UK and France compared to a smaller country in Eastern Europe, for instance,” she explains.

“Aside from that, everything else in the programme is identical across all European regions.”