Interactive Intelligence Enhances Its Global Partner Program

Interactive Intelligence Group, a provider of software and cloud services for customer engagement, unified communications, and collaboration, has launched an enhanced Global Partner Program.

Enhancements include new Systems Integrator and Telco/Carrier Programs and an updated Channel Program, all designed to give partners new revenue opportunities, particularly within the cloud market, while making it easier to do business with Interactive Intelligence.

"As we've expanded our product offering and global footprint, we realized that we needed to both streamline partner engagement and diversify our partner ecosystem," said Darren Gill, Interactive Intelligence's vice president of channels, in a statement. "The changes we've made are designed to better support our existing contact center-focused partners while more quickly bringing to market our new cloud offering and building out our services business to reach new customers."

The enhanced Interactive Intelligence Global Partner Program includes the following changes:

  • New Systems Integrator Program, a formalized program designed to tap a range of specialized SI consultative and industry-specific skills, especially for very large deployments. Interactive Intelligence has signed Accenture as its first SI under the new program.
  • New Telco/Carrier Programs to enable telcos/carriers to bundle Interactive Intelligence's PureCloud services with their voice services. Telcos/carriers can also offer deployment services and premium support and can build customizations and integrations for customers.
  • Channel Program Updates, offering value-added resellers simplified partner levels and contracts across all sales models, from referral and co-sell resale, to full-service. A new PureCloud track offers improved margins, deployment services and premium support, and resources to build customizations and integrations for customers.

"The enhancements Interactive Intelligence has made to its partner program are critical for the company to grow to the next level," said Keith Dawson, Ovum's principal analyst for customer engagement, in a statement. "Its new SI Program in particular will help Interactive strengthen its geographic reach, while opening up new opportunities for larger deals and across vertical and niche markets. Enhancements across the board will also help the company further penetrate the burgeoning cloud contact center market."

In addition to the SI, Telco/Carrier, and Channel Programs, Interactive Intelligence offers an Alliance Program designed for partners offering solutions that are complementary to Interactive Intelligence software and cloud services. Partners can list their solutions for purchase on the Interactive Intelligence MarketPlace, a virtual storefront for customers, partners, and third-party developers.

Interactive Intelligence also offers a Consultant Program for independent consultants who can recommend Interactive Intelligence as part of a client engagement.

Today, the Interactive Intelligence Partner Ecosystem comprises approximately 400 companies worldwide, including Arrow Systems Integration, Arvato, Atea, brightONE, Cognizant, Hitachi, IBM, Iwatsu, KPN, Maintel, NACR, Software House International, and Xerox Business Services.