Partners that have a robust service readiness motion are able to accelerate technology adoption, decrease their cost of service and increase customer satisfaction. For partners, this drives incremental managed service bookings and better business outcomes for our mutual customers.
Service readiness starts with having a well-defined plan that provides clear service descriptions, documented process flows and enabled service engineers. For our partners, service readiness allows a managed service to be seamlessly deployed in the customer's environment. Additionally, it enables a partner’s Security Operating Center (SOC) to deliver follow the sun support.
To build service readiness, partners need to have their post-sales resources dedicate time to completing certifications and engaging hands-on with the products. We recognize that this can be a substantial upfront investment for the partner. Palo Alto Networks understands that MSSPs need to be supported with different content that is persona-based and is delivered flexibly to allow critical billable resources to stay focused on our mutual customers.
The NextWave Partner Program, MSSP Path recently unveiled two new benefits that provide more access and help to support service readiness:
1. Partner Evaluation System Access
-
- Solution Testing: MSSP Partners can test and document the technical outcomes that the MSSPs managed service offering delivers.
- Expertise Strengthening: MSSP Partners deployment engineers can get hands-on experience implementing the solution prior to arriving at the customer.
- Increased Customer Engagement: MSSP Partners can showcase the product and service together to drive new customer engagements.
2. Tailored MSSP Enablement
-
- Build Expertise Based on Resources: New MSSP Proficiencies have two credential paths – one targeted toward deployment engineers and one targeted toward support engineers.
- Access Targeted Enablement Content: After the MSSP has built product specific knowledge, they can continue their enablement journey, strengthening their expertise with MSSP-specific training content.
- Engage Any Time: All new MSSP Proficiency credentials are delivered digitally, so valuable resources can engage with the content whenever and wherever they want.
We are excited to start MSSP partners on their enablement journey.
Currently Available Courses
If you’re already a partner, learn more on the NextWave partner portal Beacon. If you’re not a partner and would like to be, sign up to become a NextWave MSSP Partner.
MSSP Partners can now access the following training:
- MSSP SASE Proficiency: Prisma SD-WAN and Prisma Access
- MSSP XSOAR Proficiency
Additionally, there are incremental MSSP credentials for XMDR Specialized or Threat Response Market/Industry Partners to help their support and deployment engineers augment their MSSP specific knowledge.
Want to Learn More About Service Readiness?
Are you already a NextWave Solution Provider, but new to managed services? Register for the three-part webinar series exploring managed service business model transformation on June 8, 13 and 20, 2023. The rebroadcast will be available to partners on the NextWave partner portal.
Speakers include:
- George Humphrey, Vice President and Managing Director, Offering and Delivery Research and Advisory TSIA
- Stacie Corcoran, Director, Worldwide MSSP Programs
If you have any questions, contact us at mssp@paloaltonetworks.com to learn more about the NextWave Partner Program or managed services.