VARs can build a profitable business and develop expertise in custom application development in the cloud on Force.com
Enables VAR community to extend their role as trusted advisors for clients adopting cloud computing
Charter members include American Data Company, Appiphony, Aptaria, Centerstance, Echo Lane, EDL Consulting, ForceBrain.com, Lexnet Consulting Group, MK Partners, Red Sky Solutions, Reside, Silvertree Systems, Stone Cobra, and Sundog
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM), the enterprise cloud computing company, today announced the new Force.com value-added reseller (VAR) program. The new program enables VARs to resell Force.com, the industry-leading cloud computing platform for custom application development. The first cloud program of its kind, the Force.com VAR program will help resellers build a business developing and delivering custom applications in the cloud for their clients. The program is free to join, and gives partners the opportunity to create recurring revenue as well as manage contract renewals. Initial partners that have joined the program include American Data Company, Appiphony, Aptaria, Centerstance, Echo Lane, EDL Consulting, ForceBrain.com, Lexnet Consulting Group, MK Partners, Red Sky Solutions, Reside, Silvertree Systems, Stone Cobra, and Sundog.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050216/SFW105LOGO)
“With their depth of customer expertise, resellers bring tremendous value to cloud computing,” said Marc Benioff, chairman and CEO, salesforce.com. “The new Force.com VAR program gives resellers a clear path to success in cloud computing for the first time.”
The Force.com VAR Program: A Path to Business Success in the Cloud
Given the VARs’ traditional role as trusted advisors to companies of all sizes, adding custom app development on Force.com to their service offerings will help accelerate the adoption of cloud computing worldwide. The Force.com VAR program offers reseller access to a rich set of technical tools, training, and go-to-market resources to develop cloud computing expertise and drive business success. The Force.com VAR program includes:
A sales resource center for VARs, which provides access to a Force.com sales kit, industry insights, and other exclusive sales tools such as demo orgs and customer references
A consultant resource center, which provides a robust set of implementation resources, including best practices, community discussion boards, and design guidance and templates
Technical training and a comprehensive Force.com certification program, including role-based online courses
No program fees, and VARs generate recurring revenue on the initial contract as well as renewals
VARs can resell the Force.com cloud computing platform, as well as additional services such as mobile capabilities, storage, sites, and development sandboxes
Salesforce.com will provide the first line of support for the Force.com platform, while VARs are responsible for supporting their customizations and applications
Entry-level Force.com pricing for VARs begins at $7.50 per user per month
To sign up for the Force.com VAR program, please visit: http://www.salesforce.com/resellers.
Force.com – the Industry’s Leading Enterprise Cloud Computing Platform:
Force.com is salesforce.com’s enterprise cloud computing platform
Force.com provides everything companies need to quickly build and deliver business applications in the cloud, including the database, unlimited real-time customization, powerful analytics, real-time workflow and approvals, programmable cloud logic, integration, real-time mobile deployment, programmable user interface and Web site capabilities
Customers and partners have built more than 120,000 custom applications on Force.com to run their businesses, including, supply chain management, compliance tracking, brand management, accounts receivable, claims processing, time-off applications and much more
Force.com enables companies to build and deliver applications 5 times faster, at about 1/2 the cost of traditional client/server software platforms
Here’s a video on how to get started building apps on Force.com: http://www.youtube.com/user/sfdcMktg#play/uploads/24/QkRbzd3vxHU
Comments on the News:
“The Force.com platform provides a fast and compelling way to develop and deploy custom business applications,” said Steve Warshawsky, Director, Perficient. “And with the new Force.com VAR program, there has never been a better time for channel partners to get started delivering apps – and business value – in the cloud for their clients.”
“Building apps on the Force.com cloud platform is faster and more cost-effective than on premise alternatives,” said Bill Loumpouridis, CEO, EDL Consulting. “The new Force.com VAR program will provide more choices for our customers in how they realize the benefits of application development and delivery in the cloud.”
“The Force.com VAR program gives us a clear path to delivering custom application development projects in the cloud for our clients,” said Josh Holtzman, CEO, American Data Company. “Delivering the best practices, training and certification and sales engagement in one program will help us extend the benefits of enterprise cloud computing to our clients.”
“We’ve delivered over 1,000 successful Salesforce CRM projects for our clients both in the Sales and Service Cloud, and built custom solutions leveraging the Custom Cloud,” said Alana Kaselitz, Principal Founder, Echo Lane. “The Force.com VAR program now delivers everything we need to further grow our custom application development business on Force.com.”
“The Force.com VAR program provides a complete package for building a business in the cloud,” said Adam Caplan, CEO, Model Metrics.
“Salesforce.com is providing resellers a path forward for custom application development projects in the cloud,” said analyst Mike West, vice president, Saugatuck Technology. “Now moving beyond Salesforce CRM customization and integration, the Force.com VAR program will interest CIOs and IT departments that are moving their business processes and IT backlogs into the cloud.”
About salesforce.com
Salesforce.com is the enterprise cloud computing company. The company’s portfolio of Salesforce CRM applications, available at http://www.salesforce.com/crm/, has revolutionized the ways that companies collaborate and communicate with their customers across sales, marketing and service. The company’s Force.com platform (http://www.salesforce.com/platform/) enables customers, partners and developers to quickly build powerful business applications to run every part of the enterprise in the cloud. Based on salesforce.com’s (http://salesforce.com) real-time, multi-tenant architecture, Salesforce CRM and Force.com offer the fastest path to customer success with cloud computing.
As of July 31, 2009, salesforce.com manages customer information for approximately 63,200 customers including Allianz Commercial, Dell, Dow Jones Newswires, Japan Post, Kaiser Permanente, KONE, and SunTrust Banks. Any unreleased services or features referenced in this or other press releases or public statements are not currently available and may not be delivered on time or at all. Customers who purchase salesforce.com applications should make their purchase decisions based upon features that are currently available. Salesforce.com has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “CRM”. For more information please visit http://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE.
Copyright (c) 2009 salesforce.com, inc. All rights reserved. Salesforce and the “no software” logo are registered trademarks of salesforce.com, inc., and salesforce.com owns other registered and unregistered trademarks. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
CONTACT: Gordon Evans of salesforce.com, +1-415-536-7608, [email protected]
