Deep Knowledge: Customers are tapping into the Oracle PartnerNetwork Specialized program—a profound source of partner experience and skill.

by Aaron Lazenby

When it comes to implementing today’s technology, customers need to work with partners who understand the Oracle solutions that will drive the business forward. That’s the value of the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized program.

Launched in 2009, the OPN Specialized program formally recognizes Oracle partners that achieve expert status in one or more products or solutions. The program has rapidly expanded: after only two years, it boasts more than 40,000 certified implementation professionals who have demonstrated deep Oracle knowledge and experience. “Partners clearly understand the market value of proven expertise, and customers are choosing partners that can demonstrate their mastery of Oracle solutions,” says Judson Althoff, senior vice president, Worldwide Alliances and Channels and ISV/OEM Sales at Oracle, who oversees the OPN and OPN Specialized programs. “Specialized partners are in the best position to deliver value from the Oracle portfolio.”

Here Althoff speaks to Profit about why Oracle created the OPN Specialized program, its benefit for customers and partners, and how partners with multiple specializations will be ready for the future of enterprise IT.

Profit: What was the genesis of the OPN Specialized program?

Althoff: Four years ago, we embarked on a mission to educate and empower our partner base across Oracle’s growing product portfolio. At the time, we had already acquired more than 40 companies—with plans to acquire more. Oracle management was also making significant investments in R&D to continue broadening the portfolio.

We needed to provide our partners—whether they were independent software vendors, value-added resellers, or systems integrators with consulting practices—with information on the new solutions in the portfolio. So we rolled out a number of services to prepare them with knowledge and skills that help them deliver better services to our customers.

We launched the OPN Specialized program to distinguish partners that have set themselves apart within the Oracle ecosystem by executing successful implementations. With this designation from Oracle, customers can see which partners have the specific skills they need to solve their critical business problems.

Profit: How does a partner join the OPN Specialized program?

Althoff: To get started, they certainly need to have the credentials. This means they have to certify their salespeople so they can properly articulate the value propositions and capabilities of our products. It means they have to certify presales engineers to conduct demos and proofs of concept. Most importantly, they must have certified implementation specialists with subject matter expertise.

Additionally, partners are required to have customer references so they can demonstrate successful implementations in a particular area.

We put partners through all these requirements so that when customers select a company from our program, they know they’re getting a partner with experience, knowledgebase, and a proven track record.

Profit: How do you deal with specializations across industries?

Althoff: Certain Oracle products are implemented very differently from industry to industry. For example, implementing CRM [customer relationship management] in the healthcare industry is different from implementing it in the financial services industry. In one case, you’re dealing with doctor/patient relationships. In another, you’re dealing with a financial services portfolio and the security restrictions in the banking industry.

We address these differences by offering our partners industry-specific specializations. We want a customer to say, “Not only does this partner know CRM, but they’ve actually implemented CRM in healthcare. They know my business, they know other companies like mine, and they’ve done this kind of work before. I can select this partner with confidence.”

Profit: What are the benefits of becoming specialized?

Althoff: From a go-to-market perspective, the benefits are significant. At the end of the day, our salespeople need to work with partners they can trust—partners who have made the investments and have the skills that customers require. This also translates into higher profits for our Specialized partners.

Also, I’ve seen partners succeed by investing in core skills and getting their developers to wrap their heads around our product portfolio. By developing a strong knowledgebase, our Specialized partners can build a practice rather than just randomly pursuing opportunities.

Profit: How does Oracle roll out specialization for new products?

Althoff: Oracle continues to invest nearly US$5 billion a year in R&D, so we have created a process that is very aligned with development. The same is true on the M&A side. When Oracle releases new products or acquires product lines, we make specialization available within 90 days.

We have a guided learning path we implement through the OPN Competency Center that enables partners to understand the skills they need in order to earn certification, including the requirements for every role, including their presales-, sales-, and implementation-focused resources.

Profit: What is the future of the program?

Althoff: So far, we are thrilled with how partners have embraced specialization. Just two years ago, we were trying to convince the partner community that it was a good idea to attain Specialized status. We don’t have to do that anymore.

Today, about 20 percent of our overall partner base is Specialized. And these partners have a thirst for increasing their skills. Right now, they are increasing the number of solutions they specialize in. Last year they averaged 3 specializations apiece, but now they average 5. Some have upwards of 25.

Going forward, it’s important for Oracle customers to understand the value of engineered systems—the value of hardware and software engineered to work together—and the value of a complete portfolio. To do this, we need partners that can represent our evolving solutions. We’re going to continue growing our base of certified implementation specialists—and increasing the breadth of skill for partners who already understand the value of the program.

Overall, we want to continue to provide customers with what they want, which is a recognized, differentiated, and preferred partner ecosystem aligned with the business problems they’re trying to solve.

Aaron Lazenby is editor in chief of Profit.