Interview
What new incentives are being introduced? Our evolved partner programme better supports long-term value creation, not just deal closure. Tis includes new financial incentives, such as front-end discounts, and rewards for partner-led opportunities and service delivery. Te aim is to create predictable profitability for partners while encouraging deeper, more strategic engagement. We are heavily utilising our Authorised Delivery Partner
programme to actively bring our partners into Cloudflare-initiated opportunities where there is a need for professional services. To support this, we’ve launched a redesigned PowerUP Partner
programme portal, giving partners real-time visibility into deal performance, incentive tracking, and growth opportunities, all in one place. Tese updates are designed to make it easier for partners to scale, differentiate, and deliver greater impact for customers. We take a holistic view of partner success, measuring a mix of
metrics that go beyond sales performance. Tis includes customer retention, satisfaction, and meaningful engagement with our entire connectivity cloud platform. Te goal is to effectively drive the best outcomes for our shared customers, creating a more sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship. We seek partners who are interested in building a long-term
relationship with us, with our overall measurement of success formed by KPIs like training hours and accreditations, participation in our regional and global partner events, and investment into defined business plans. One key point to note is that we are increasingly collaborating
with partners to help them track their profitability using Cloudflare, ensuring we are working towards a business model that is truly meaningful and relevant for our partners. For MSPs, the focus is increasingly on simplifying how they deliver
security and performance at scale, with a focus on automation, faster deployment, and tools that reduce operational overhead. For resellers, flexibility is key – not just in pricing, but in how solutions can be packaged and positioned to meet diverse customer needs. Distributors are being supported with better integration capabilities and programmatic tools to help them manage and scale a broader portfolio more efficiently.
What are the key trends affecting channel partners? One of the most prominent trends affecting channel partners is the broadening of the ecosystem itself, driven by growing demand in areas like developer tools and cybersecurity. Tese domains are creating new opportunities for partnerships, particularly in managed and value-added services, where differentiation comes from outcomes. We are moving to what I call an ‘and model’, not an ‘or model’, meaning increasingly we see partners working with other partners as a joint alliance. Tis creates opportunities for partners to work together in a complementary way. Enterprise growth, especially across regions like EMEA, is also
reshaping the channel landscape. Partners are being asked to support more complex service models and play a bigger role in helping customers navigate digital transformation. Tis shiſt means success is about building services, providing expert support, and aligning closely with evolving customer needs. Customers are increasingly seeking to leverage AI technologies. We see partners looking to both grow their skills in this area and
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align with key technology and security vendors. Cloudflare is well- positioned to be a partner of choice for customers and partners seeking to leverage these new capabilities in a secure and scalable manner, made possible by our global infrastructure network and our AI suite of solutions.
What challenges do partners face, and how is the company helping? Te core of a partner’s business is a three-faceted challenge: building and maintaining relevance with their customers by delivering solutions in a way that generates revenue while keeping costs as low as possible. As you unpack that, there is a real balance partners need to strike between investing to stay ahead, so they can innovate, delivering services as a price point that continues to fuel their ability to scale. Tis framework should also help protect them from situations where cost or project overruns, as well as the rise of new threats, all of which could derail their business. What we’re hearing time and again is that we can provide partners
with the comprehensive tools they need to secure and connect their customers’ networks through a unified control plane. By investing in our ability to scale, we are increasingly becoming highly experienced and efficient in quickly enabling partners to deliver more value to their customers. At the same time, we see partners consolidating several of their vendors into a preferred partnership and relationship with Cloudflare. Tis, in turn, reduces the cost to serve that the partner incurs, which allows them to reinvest in new growth or maximise their margins.
What role does Cloudflare’s Zero Trust architecture play in helping MSPs secure their clients? We’ve made it possible for MSPs to equip organisations by seamlessly integrating our connectivity cloud solutions into their existing infrastructure. Tis eliminates complex legacy systems and enables organisations of any type or size to benefit from a consolidated all-in-one network. In 2024, we expanded our MSP specialisation, making it easier for
partners to integrate Cloudflare into their managed security services. Tis move has helped MSPs provide more comprehensive solutions to their clients, especially as demand for robust cybersecurity grows. Along with solutions like Zero Trust and network security, our global network equips MSPs to address every rising security concern while simultaneously boosting performance for their customers. To further support our partners, we’ve introduced initiatives
which offer hands-on learning from our experts. We have a dedicated platform that shares best practices and service blueprints to help partners innovate and build on our portfolio. Our pricing and bundling structure is strategically designed
to enhance reseller profitability, with a strong emphasis on predictability and long-term growth. By offering a combination of front-end discounts, back-end incentives, and eventually rebate programmes, we ensure that partners have the tools to maximise their margins while building sustainable business models. Te partner ecosystem is undergoing a strategic shiſt, with a clear
emphasis on deeper collaboration and long-term value creation. As integrated solutions become more critical to customers, there’s a growing focus on strengthening partner-led services.
July/August 2025 | 15
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