The new programme has three tiers: Affiliated, Approved and Premier. These tiers give partners defined access to specific product sets and levels of support, including dedicated technical, sales and marketing assistance, based on the breadth of products and levels of support offered to customers.
Kevin Holland, Sales Director – Service Providers at Telstra International, explains: “Customers are demanding a more solution-based approach to voice and data, as it enables them to reduce the initial cost and ongoing management of the network. By restructuring the Accreditation Programme to reflect this shift in the market, we can provide the best possible support for our partners in delivering this type of service. This compliments our strategy of driving efficiency on transactional products and delivering true value on complex solutions”
To complement the revamped Accreditation Programme, Telstra is adding a number of new features to give partners the opportunity to take advantage of its market knowledge and expertise. Premier Partners will now have access to senior Telstra executives who can offer them one-on-one advice; the new Extranet provides access to dedicated marketing collateral and product updates; and Service Assurance is a new online tool which will enable partners to manage the quality of WLR voice services more closely.
John Massey, Managing Director of Actimax, comments: "Working closely with Telstra has allowed us to tap into the expertise of a Tier 1 carrier for marketing and support, allowing us to focus on the development and growth of our business. Telstra offers a very good understanding of what the channel requires offering a blend of products, all supplemented by excellent service and account management."