Good Technology to expand in channel with Tech Data deal

Christy Wyatt, CEO of Good Technology

Christy Wyatt, CEO of Good Technology

Good Technology is looking to pick up momentum in the channel, and in turn in the midmarket and SMB markets with a North American extension of its distribution deal with Tech Data.

Good, best known for offering “BlackBerry-like” secure e-mail, calendaring and collaboration services on other devices, is strong among the biggest companies in the world, but as mobility in general, and security issues around it in particular, trickle down the business stack, it’s seeing more and more opportunity below its traditional Global 200 audience, said Christy Wyatt, CEO of Good.

“We’re focusing on building out a broader partner community with Tech Data,” Wyatt said of the relationship. “Secure mobility is a topic that is globally applicable. There’s not a company that’s not working through it today.”

While it’s been working through its own set of channels – it counts among its partners about 100 organizations, including major players like U.S. telco AT&T – Good has not build an extensive network of the kind of SMB resellers that are likely to fuel its growth in the midmarket if there is to be some.

The two companies are familiar with each other. In Europe, Good has worked with Specialist Distribution Group (SDG), and Tech Data since 2012, when Tech Data purchased SDG. Wyatt said that track record in Europe played a large part in the company’s decision to extend the Tech Data relationship to North America, as did the distributor focus on Good’s core market through its TDmobility division.

“They have the right partners in the right places with the right background,” Wyatt said of the distributor.

Good appears to be set on a hybrid strategy in the channel. About 50 per cent of the company’s business comes from regulated industries, and in those markets, it will likely continue to work directly with either customers, or larger solution providers. But its biggest greenfields are outside of those areas, and that’s where it’s looking to build its channel ranks to support further growth.

Wyatt said the ideal Good partner has an existing mobility practice or is “looking for an opportunity to head in that direction,” and that the company is particularly looking for solution providers with experience in writing code for customers, particularly as its Good Dynamics secure mobile app development platform becomes a more important part of its offering.

“We can really help [partners with development experience] extend secure mobility through their portfolio as well,” Wyatt said.