SugarCRM Announces New U.S. Channel Distribution Agreement with Ingram Micro

SugarCRM’s annual SugarCon 2012 was ripe with company announcements and new channel developments. During the event, which took place April 23-26, 2012, in San Francisco, SugarCRM announced its new distribution agreement with IT distributor Ingram Micro.

As part of the agreement, channel partners within Ingram Micro’s Advanced Computing Division will have the option to sell and distribute SugarCRM’s flagship product, Sugar 6.5, in the U.S. The partnership was brought into effect immediately. According to Nick Halsey, CMO and Executive VP of Corporate Development for SugarCRM, the relationship was initiated due to SugarCRM’s extensive partnership with IBM. In fact, the agreement also will enable the parties to jointly bring integrated IBM solutions to market.

“We’ve been working with IBM over the past year to develop integrated solutions driven by and through our combined channel partners,” Halsey told Channel Marketer Report. “As part of this, we needed to address how these integrated solutions would be sold. Ingram was a natural choice given their role as a primary VAD for IBM resellers and their strong desire to participate in enabling our go to market plans.”Ingram Micro channel partners also will be able to service demand from enterprise clients of SugarCRM’s solutions to generate more growth.

Ingram Micro will offer the Sugar 6.5 portfolio to businesses interested in enhancing communication with prospects, collaborating and sharing sales information, closing deals and maximizing customer satisfaction.

“SugarCRM and IBM have developed a strong portfolio of integrated solutions, and the new partnership with Ingram will allow IBM resellers to deliver these solutions to customers,” Halsey said. “New partners signing up through Ingram will be eligible for a full set of training and enablement services.”

Moving forward, SugarCRM and Ingram Micro will be implementing joint go-to-market programs to promote the new partnership. IBM also will be participating to ensure awareness and boost interest. The partnership will allow both organizations to “enhance our position in the market by providing a single channel and point of procurement for delivery of integrated SugarCRM solutions to the IBM channel,” Halsey reported. This streamlined access and procurement will increase profit and enhance the number of IBM partners adding SugarCRM to their product portfolios.

During SugarCon, SugarCRM also announced Q1 2012 growth metrics and overall business momentum in the channel. Overall, the CRM solution provider saw a 118% year-over-year increase in global billings, and added nearly 700 new customers and 39 channel partners. To date, the company touts a partner network of more than 400 organizations.

SugarCRM also announced new enhancements to its Open+ Partner Program, which now includes:

New marketing and business planning support to boost sales effectiveness;

Full access to a 12-member partner advisory board, which was developed to provide guidance and feedback from the partner community to SugarCRM; and

A formal certification program to assure all employees are receiving skills and training to manage their SugarCRM business for customers.