What an incredible final quarter we had in 2017—and we couldn’t have done it without our partnerships. It was the biggest ever quarter in the history of Riverbed EMEA channels and I am so proud of everyone involved—but it doesn’t stop there.
With that behind us, I believe 2018 is going to be OUR TIME. A time for Riverbed and our partners to rise. A time for us to be the best at what we do. A time for us to grasp a large share of a $20 billion market and become the first choice for partners and customers looking to address their digital business transformation needs. And we need to act now and act fast because the time really is now.
For me, when I look back to last quarter and ask myself why it was such a success, I believe it comes down to a few things:
- Last year we saw the market, and all our customers, going through significant transition. Digital became a reality for businesses, not just blue sky—and we responded. We built a market-leading portfolio that addresses the changes with digital performance very much at its heart.
- And we launched a game-changing partner program—Riverbed Rise—to give all our partners the flexibility, ease of doing business and support to drive their sales and increase profitability.
It’s our time to address customer needs better than anyone else
With our portfolio, and the strength of Riverbed Rise, we are in a fantastic position to address your customers’ needs as they move through their digital transformation. For me, we are the most successful when we put the customer in the center of all we do. For partners, this means becoming trusted advisors; delivering a unique delightful customer experience that gives you the right to become an even bigger part of the customer lifetime value.
It’s our time to rise together and be successful
Our continued investment in the channel is another reason why I believe 2018 is ‘our time’. With Riverbed Rise, we have developed something no-one else in the market is doing and that is driving growth for everyone involved. When I look back at traditional vendor programs, they had such high entry barriers, but Riverbed Rise is different. Partners don’t have to invest upfront but you do get all the help needed to address your customers’ digital transition needs, grow margins and increase revenues. And the best bit—I see how our partners are already responding to the new program and they love it!
It’s our time to be bold and think differently
As a vendor, we have a responsibility both to our partners and our customers to understand market trends and needs. This means opening our eyes and ears, listening carefully and thinking outside the box about what solutions to build.
This might sound obvious, but I believe there is real opportunity to explore additional uses for our technology. I’ve seen some interesting deals recently where this has been happening. For example, we’re working with Dubai Police to establish revolutionary IT applications for internal staff as well as for engagement and delivery of services to citizens. We are also sharing our ideas and expertise in line with their Artificial Intelligence strategic drive.
The possibilities are endless. And this is where our collaboration can really add value to the customer: by delivering as-a-Service solutions, that are cloud-ready for quick, easy deployment.
The market is ready. We have the technology. Our customers need us. There has never been a better time for our partnerships and I urge you to join us as we make 2018 our time.
Please reach out to my team: they would love to support you in your continued success with Riverbed.