RES reshuffle calms partners' concerns

Vendor claims some partners were scared they would drop a certification level, while committed VARs were keen to highlight slacking resellers

RES Software has claimed that its partners' initial fears have been eased following its summer partner reshuffle.

In July, some partners were left fearful they would drop down a certification level after the vendor announced that partners joining before the March channel programme overhaul would have to retake their exams to fit in with the new regime.

RES' senior product manager Grant Tiller told ChannelWeb that although existing partners were fearful they would be demoted, this was not the case.

"I think [existing partners having to re-sit exams] expressed initial concern. They asked ‘where will this leave us?' We had a few partners that were not particularly active, but because our Fulfilment and Bronze tiers are all based completely online, they still met the pre-requisites so stayed at that level," he said.

Of RES' current partner base, which stands at about 80, thirty partners were asked to re-sit their technical exams, and a handful moved up a level. Tiller said most had moved from Fulfilment to Bronze, but some had managed to shift up from Bronze to Silver.

The rejig has also weeded out less-active partners that previously held the same accreditations as harder-working peers, Tiller added.

"What was uncomfortable to some [existing] partners was when, for example, partner X down the road held the same status and recognition, but for doing less work," he said. "That aspect is not broken now, but it has added some clarity to existing partners, and the ones that do put the effort in have gone up a level."