Big data analytics software provider SiSense recently named its first channel chief to develop and grow the company’s global network of alliances and partners.
After tripling subscription revenues for each of the past three years, primarily through an inside sales force, SiSense is ready to drive growth and generate new revenue opportunities through a strong channel presence with the help of its new channel chief Mark Ferretti, vice president, global alliances and channels.
Ferretti has been tasked to develop a channel program, recruit partners that are a good fit for the company and educate them about SiSense’s big data analytics products for companies of all sizes. This includes the latest product, SiSense 5, an analytics offering that enables nontechnical users to join multiple data sources, analyze billions of records and share interactive dashboards from any device.
“The purpose of making the investment in the channel is to accelerate our outbound strategy, both vertically and solution-wise, and in some cases geographically,” said Ferretti. “As we now start to grow and especially as we start to resonate in the upper midmarket and enterprise, the channel is going to be key to our growth.”
Initially, SiSense will target regional partners that are either niche consulting companies or resellers that are familiar with data staging, data cleansing and data discovery, said Ferretti. “The initial push into the channel is going to be with those smaller resellers; then, we will start moving into more strategic partners as we continue to grow in the enterprise space.”
Although the majority of SiSense’s business is in North America, the company is also looking for global partners. The initial partnership targets are resellers, affiliate/referral partners (or sales agents) and OEM partners that white-label SiSense’s product into their applications for their customers.
The channel program will start with only one level of partnership. Within 12 months, Ferretti expects to add a second level and include program targets that will give partners additional benefits. “The nice part about our model is that there is a recurring revenue stream for resellers. It’s not one and done, and the only chance is to up-sell. We also tend to have shorter sales cycles that deliver a faster time to value and ROI.”
Ferretti is striving for conflict-free partnerships. “We’re urging our partners to sell everywhere. We’re not telling them they can’t sell to the enterprise or small and midsize businesses. In addition, we’re not building an outside sales force, and we have little or no professional services.”
“We are being very careful as we set up the program to put measures in place so we don’t have conflict. The goal and early feedback from the partners is that they are very excited about the opportunity not to compete from a services perspective and not compete with a large direct sales force.”
Starting this month, SiSense will have a training program in place that offers both online training and “ad hoc” mini boot camp training for partners that can gather a lot of consultants under one roof. The cost is minimal and it only takes days instead of weeks of training, said Ferretti.
SiSense is also in the process of building its channel management team—account managers—that will initially handle strategic partners by geography.
Gina Roos, a Channel Insider contributor, specializes in technology and the channel.