Oracle aids partners to compete globally

Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized program has officially been launched. This announcement will make a difference to Oracle's more than 22,000 global partners by helping them better differentiate, compete and succeed in a competitive business environment.

The company has also released new and enhanced business-building partner tools that will enable its global pool of partners to better manage their Oracle relationships.

Through this new program, these partners will gain relevant skills to achieve specializations and also expand business opportunities with both new and existing Oracle customers. In addition, partners will be able to formally certify specializations to differentiate themselves and their offerings. They will be recognized for their expertise and get a chance to become preferred solution providers to Oracle customers.

Recognition from customers

Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized is the newest version of Oracle's partner program that provides partners with tools to better develop, sell, and implement Oracle solutions.

OPN Specialized was announced only two months ago and already established global partners have achieved Platinum level status. Companies such as B2Br, CedarCrestone, SolStonePlus, Symatrix and Tilsor have achieved this status by establishing a depth and breadth of the expertise across five or more key Oracle solution areas.

Those partners who demonstrate competency, business results, expertise and proven success in certain specific areas are recognized by Oracle for having the ability to support joint customers. They are also preferred by customers for their validated skills.

Judson Althoff, Oracle senior vice president of worldwide alliances and channels said that his company has designed the Oracle PartnerNetwork Specialized program to allow its partner community to differentiate themselves and benefit from recognition by customers for their in-depth Oracle technology or services expertise.

Media-rich tools

The new media-rich OPN tools are a key enablement resource for the Oracle OPN Specialized program. Through these tools partners can easily access Oracle training and other capabilities that will help them grow and profit with Oracle.

Some of these tools are discussed below:

* Programs & enrollments system that provides partners with an easy to use automated method of managing their partner profiles.

*Partner ordering portal allows partners and value-added distributors enter their Oracle orders online in a more efficient manner.

*OPN enablement environment allows partners to cost effectively gain the skills they need to become specialized. It delivers a platform for supporting partner training activity.

Oracle is also offering enhanced solutions catalog that allows partners to differentiate themselves and an enriched online searchable events calendar with RSS capabilities.

“The new partner tools build on Oracle's robust Enablement 2.0 resources and provide partners the resources they need to achieve specialization, more easily conduct business with both Oracle and customers, and gain the valuable training they need to grow their business and profit with Oracle,” said Althoff.