Comments on: Podcast: Google Apps Reseller Program

By: CompTIA Breakaway: Join Us for Latte In Las Vegas? « Nine Lives Media Inc.

CompTIA Breakaway: Join Us for Latte In Las Vegas? « Nine Lives Media Inc. — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 18:29:39 +0000

[...] Stephen Cho, Director, Google Apps Channels [...]

By: Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 18:12:04 +0000

Sekar: I think we’re basically on the same page — Google isn’t perfect and this partner program will likely involve considerable trial-and-error because SaaS reseller engagements are still an emerging market opportunity where the secrets to success are still being written.

By: Sekar Vembu

Sekar Vembu — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:19:58 +0000

Joe,
I agree with most of your points. I also believe Google would not let partners host Google Apps on their own in the near future. But I think eventually they will especially the SIs who are servicing the big enterprises where these applications do not live in isolation. Google has to offer deep APIs for enterprises let to them integrate with their business processes. I believe the question is when they would do it rather than if they would do it.

Also, I did not mean any personal offense to Stephen Cho nor I am underestimating him. My point is more to point out that even for a Google lots of things are trial and error and there is no genius out there who knows exactly what would work and what wont. It is simply reassuring for mere mortals like us who are perpetually figuring out the best ways to scale our businesses.

Sekar

By: Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:11:43 +0000

Sekar,

Always good to hear from you. Generally speaking when it comes to new SaaS-related partner programs I tend to keep a very open mind.

You’ve got a point: Google is going very broad with the partner program. Cho basically says anyone is welcome into the reseller program. And I know other Web sites, Channelinsider.com in particular, criticized the program for lacking a deal registration system that protects partners.

Also, your point about Software Plus Services caught my attention. Next time I speak with Cho and Google I will ask whether Google intends to let partners host Google Apps on their own. (My guess: No. But that’s only a guess.)

To your point about Google seeking “anyone and everyone” to reseller Google Apps: It’s early in the game and I suspect Google will begin to segment its partner program once a few hundred (or a few thousand…?) resellers sign up.

Basically, the company is casting a very wide net because they don’t know what type of resellers they’re going to catch… yet. I suspect the ISP relationships will ultimately become part of some sort of larger volume focus — where Google works closely with broadband providers to get the Apps into SMBs.

Everything in this comment is speculation on my part. But I wouldn’t underestimate Google. Nor would I underestimate Cho. He comes from Cisco — which built one of the most sophisticated, most successful channel programs in the world.

Also, as Google Android goes mainstream, I suspect that will create more pull and mindshare for Google Apps, and the Google App Reseller Program.

Google is going to make plenty of mistakes as it tries to understand the SaaS channel opportunity. And so is everyone else.

By: Sekar Vembu

Sekar Vembu — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 04:13:53 +0000

Joe,
Thanks for the good interview. I would have liked you to have asked a few questions around Google’s thinking about Software Plus Services, especially whether they would ever have a strategy to let their partners host the apps themselves and offer it as a service to their customers.

You know my thinking on this already as I point out in my blog:
http://blogs.vembu.com/2009/01/google-will-abandon-pure-saas-and-take-the-software-plus-services-route-courtesy-microsoft/

A point to note about the interview: Stephan Cho says the partner program is for anyone and everyone from small VARs focusing on SMBs to ISPs to large SIs who focus on enterprises. This tells me Google is still confused about what to do or how to make large amount of money out of Google Apps. Even for Google it would be very difficult to focus on consumers, SMBs and enterprises at the same time. If I had said the same thing in an interview I know what the “industry experts” would have thought about me – “clueless”.

Sekar