SAS Canada has inked a distribution deal with Arrow Canada. This partnership is another sign that SAS Canada is serious about building a channel ecosystem.
Arrow Canada is being used by SAS Canada for recruitment of channel partners. Doug MacLaren, the director of alliances and channels for SAS Canada, told CDN the company’s strategy is one of quality over quantity when it comes to building its network of solution providers.
“We don’t want to sign up any partner. We want to drive up value with SAS and its partners,” he said. McLaren added that in the first year under this new channel direction, SAS expects to grow indirect sales between 10 to 15 per cent. The Arrow Canada partnership will help SAS in its market coverage for the Canadian market as well as pinpoint specific vertical industries they can go after with solution providers.
McLaren said SAS Canada has a goal of just under 50 partners for 2017. “The only way to evolve our business is through partners. And, it’s going to be more than 10 but less than 50. That sounds right,” he said.
While SAS Canada’s new channel push is SMB focused, McLaren did say a solution provider who can handle a mid-size market account would be attractive to the company.
The SAS Channel Program will not have a fee but solution providers must be able to invest in development and prospecting and a focus on an industry vertical would be ideal.
McLaren is open to new consumption models as well. He said the company is flexible with market based pricing, monthly pricing or on data volume even in a pay-as-you-go model. There will be revenue sharing and global territories for partners. “We want to offer them an easy entry point that has tremendous growth opportunities,” he added.
In terms of partner revenue requirements, the company has set an entry-level bar of $100,000. McLaren said they are going to have an open mind with clip-levels. The company does have revenue goals and the team is currently working on Canadianizing those numbers.