AWS Partner Network (APN) Blog

Commercial Partners Can Accelerate Their AWS Practice with the AWS Partner Transformation Program

By William Geiger, Program Manager at AWS

AWS Partner Transformation ProgramThe AWS Partner Transformation Program (PTP) supports AWS Partners through an accelerated journey to building an Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud practice.

Launched by the AWS Public Sector Partner Program in 2018, the PTP was initially leveraged by partners primarily focused in the public sector market. Since that time, hundreds of AWS Partners have enrolled in the PTP.

Due to increasing interest and demand, we are excited to share the program has been opened to commercial sector partners as well.

Through the PTP, AWS helps partners expedite cloud readiness in key business areas so they can help customers migrate to the cloud. The result is partner transformation, building an innovative cloud business for partners to better serve the ultimate customer.

The AWS Partner Transformation Program is open to partners that are either new to cloud and need help with planning for cloud migration, or have started the process but need help in accelerating their journey.

Every PTP partner participates in a comprehensive Assessment Workshop, receives a customized Transformation Plan, and works in collaboration with AWS and a PTP Consultant to accelerate their journey to AWS and support in the execution of identified activities.

To learn more, speak to your partner manager, or contact the PTP team.

Partner Success: RoundTower Technologies

One organization that has found success by leveraging the AWS Partner Transformation Program is RoundTower Technologies. An AWS Advanced Consulting Partner with the AWS DevOps Competency, RoundTower is focused in the healthcare and financial services industries.

“The PTP was a truly transformational process for RoundTower. The training and enablement pathways established through the program have allowed us to build a sustainable AWS business practice, and we have now adopted AWS company-wide,” says Alicia Davis, cloud and DevOps lead for RoundTower. “We are leveraging the power of AWS to serve our customers on cloud to the high standards they know and expect from RoundTower.”

Through the AWS Training and Certification initiative outlined in the PTP, RoundTower’s staff has achieved more than 50 AWS Certifications. Among those who earned their certification was the entire RoundTower presales engineering team.

This team of sales-oriented technical experts was able to elevate their customer conversations to discuss cloud strategy and specific use cases to help solve business problems for customers. This has led to a 400 percent increase for RoundTower in customer opportunities in the pipeline.

Additionally, RoundTower’s Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE) has led their initiative to codify institutional knowledge, helping reduce the time it takes to complete the contracting process with customers by more than 50 percent.

Partner Success: TechData

TechData – South Korea, a division of the global company focused in both commercial and public sector markets, leveraged the PTP to provides an opportunity for shared experience and alignment within each AWS Partner’s organization.

“The PTP truly transformed not only the business, but also the organization and culture of the company,” says Mishuk Han, Strategic Business Development Lead at TechData. “Trust-building and synchronization of sales cycle with AWS is another bonus for the program.”

TechData has since enrolled in the AWS Solution Provider Program and gained over a dozen net-new customers. The Solution Provider Program is designed for systems integrators, managed service providers, value-added resellers, and public sector partners to resell AWS services to end customers as part of their differentiated solution.

Under this program, Authorized Solution Providers manage, service, support, and bill AWS accounts for end customers.

How the PTP Works for AWS Partners

The AWS Partner Transformation Program is a comprehensive assessment, training, and enablement program focused on helping AWS Partners build a successful and profitable cloud business.

Whether you are new to the cloud or in the advanced stages of building your business, the PTP provides the guidance to accelerate the development of your AWS skills and expertise to better serve your customers’ journey to the cloud.

Here’s how you can get started with the AWS Partner Transformation Program:

Onboarding

  • To get started, AWS Partners should engage their AWS contact to learn more about the program.
  • Your company’s Executive Sponsor must commit to moving forward with the PTP.
  • Partners will then choose the PTP pathway that is best suited for their business:
    • AWS PDM-Led – Your AWS Partner Development Manager (PDM) and Solutions Architect will conduct an assessment, build your Transformation Plan, and support your company through execution of the plan. The PDM-Led pathway includes a half-day Assessment Workshop and detailed Transformation Plan.
    • Hybrid – A PTP Consultant conducts an Assessment Workshop, builds the Transformation Plan in collaboration with AWS, and supports you through execution of the plan. The Hybrid pathway includes a one-day workshop and yields a detailed Transformation Plan.
    • Consultant-Led – A PTP consultant conducts an Assessment Workshop, builds the Transformation Plan in collaboration with AWS, and supports you through execution of the plan. The consultant-led engagement includes a multi-day workshop and comprehensive Transformation Plan.

Assessment Workshop

During this session, AWS Partners, their AWS account team, and a PTP consultant will discuss the business and technical aspects of the partner’s organization. During this workshop, AWS Partners have the opportunity to align internal teams, and identify the current and target states of their AWS business.

The outcome of the workshop will be a detailed analysis of their business, and recommendations for actions to close any gaps. This comes in the form of a Transformation Plan.

The PTP consultant is an AWS authorized third-party who specializes in change management and cloud transformation.

Transformation Plan

Participating in the PTP provides an opportunity for AWS Partners to evaluate their business as a whole, identify gaps, and follow a structured plan to address areas for growth.

The Transformation Plan is a tactical approach for the partner’s cross-functional team to accelerate their cloud practice development.

Here’s how the Transformation Plan works:

  • Partners review and commit to their customized Transformation Plan.
  • Example milestones:
    • Establishing a Cloud Center of Excellence (CCoE).
    • Create go-to-market (GTM) strategy.
    • Build a comprehensive training plan for employees.
  • PTP consultants will hold regular checkpoints to support the execution of your Transformation Plan.

How AWS Partners Can Grow with the PTP

AWS Partners enjoy varying achievements through their participation in the Partner Transformation Program. Each business is closely linked to what’s identified in the Assessment Workshop and what the partner executes in their transformation period.

On average, AWS Partners that have participated in the PTP see 50-70 percent revenue growth and 140 percent opportunity win rate year-over-year, compared to AWS Partners that have not gone through the Partner Transformation Program.

Other outcomes AWS Partners can expect:

  • Identify your AWS superpower: This helps the partner define their core AWS offering, and focus their Go-To-Market Strategy.
  • Align your AWS cloud practice strategy: This provides the partner with guidance and support to formalize how AWS fits into their business model.
  • Accelerated time to APN tier advancement: The AWS Partner Network (APN) is the global network of AWS Partners, and helps companies build, market, and sell their AWS offerings by providing valuable business, technical, and marketing support.
  • Develop a structured sales, marketing, and delivery approach.

Next Steps

If you are interested in learning more about the AWS Partner Transformation Program, connect with your partner manager to discuss whether your company is a good fit.

Be sure to read our eBook: The AWS Partner Transformation Program – Setting the Stage to Transform Your Business.

AWS Partners can also contact the PTP team directly for more information.