An Intelligent Match: New partner solutions catalog pairs Oracle customers with the right partner.

by Lydia Smyers

Oracle has more than 25,000 partners operating all over the world. These partners offer skilled professional services for implementing Oracle products, deploying solutions they’ve developed related to Oracle technology, and acting as consultants for customers in a variety of industries—and for a number of Oracle solutions. They are pivotal in helping Oracle reach new customers.

When customers select an Oracle partner, they are looking for a subject matter expert that not only can articulate the Oracle offerings and has a proven record in implementing Oracle products, but also understands the customer’s business requirements—and can map them to a solution that brings real value to the business.

The Specialized Difference

When looking for the right partner to support their IT needs, customers should look first to Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized partners. Oracle offers specialization in more than 100 solutions and designates partners with Specialized status only after they demonstrate a superior level of competence and business experience.

Specialized partners have to meet specific documented presales, sales, and implementation criteria set out by Oracle. They also need to prove that they have had experience in implementing the products they specialize in, and provide positive customer references from prior implementations.

OPN Specialized partners bring differentiated value or solutions to customers—be they in the form of a repeatable implementation methodology involving an existing solution or product, or a very specific third-party application that meets a unique customer requirement.

Smart Matchmaking

To help customers find the right partner for their needs, Oracle launched an enhanced version of the OPN Solutions Catalog in December 2011.

The OPN Solutions Catalog allows customers to easily navigate our partner ecosystem and quickly identify the right partner with skills to match specific needs. It documents important information, such as the partners’ type, their specific competencies, and the areas in which they specialize. It is available in 13 languages, making it easier for customers to find partners that best meet their business needs in their region or country.

The Solutions Catalog can also display advanced multimedia and social media assets, unique company information and resources, and customer references. Partners use these assets to better showcase and differentiate their offerings and unique expertise to customers and fellow partners. Enhanced search capabilities and the addition of user reviews make it easier than ever for customers to search by keywords, look up assets, and provide community feedback about the partners.

To partners, the Solutions Catalog underscores Oracle’s commitment to delivering partners the tools they need to increase their exposure to prospective customers. Partners use the site to market their offerings and capabilities with customers and other partners and to collect and manage leads. Our goal is to lead the partners to a higher volume of qualified business opportunities and, in turn, increase their revenue.

To customers, finding the right partner is crucial to the success of a project. Our commitment is to provide a tool that is easy to use and to provide information essential to making informed decisions. All OPN partners are represented in the catalog by detailed partner profiles, providing customers with a holistic view of the entire OPN community.

Through these efforts, Oracle is committed to helping customers locate the right partner at the right time.

Lydia Smyers is group vice president of Oracle Worldwide Alliances and Channels.