Channel Post speaks with the Director of Sales – Middle East & Africa at Zebra Technologies, Hozefa Saylawala about the company’s channel strategies.
Do you have a partner program in place? Since when?
In mid 2015, Zebra Technologies announced the creation of a new channel partner ‘PartnerConnect’ program for the Middle East, which enables and rewards growth for Zebra’s channel partners who are investing in driving value for end user customers. The PartnerConnect program was launched in the first quarter of 2016. Built with input from Zebra’s global partner ecosystem, the new program makes it easier for channel partners to expand their relationship with Zebra and deliver innovative solutions to customers.
Please share the details of your partner program.
The ‘PartnerConnect’ program is designed to evolve the best of Zebra’s channel ecosystem, address the needs of distributors, ISVs, and resellers, provide opportunities for growth, and meet customer and market demands. PartnerConnect supports Zebra’s vision to lead the Enterprise Asset Intelligence category through the Solution Partner track, and provide competitive incentives designed to reward Solution Partners for their commitment and successes in developing visibility solutions that address customer needs.
Simplicity and flexibility are the cornerstones of PartnerConnect program. Channel partners are categorized by tracks, based on individual business models, allowing partners to plan for growth and business evolution. The program recognizes and rewards resellers for investments in developing technology expertise through five product specializations, including card printers, print engines, RFID, supplies.
PartnerConnect enhances product access to a majority of Zebra’s portfolio, enabling the delivery of complete solutions to meet end customers’ needs.
How do you on-board your partners onto the program?
Training and certification help channel partners build an increased level of technical and sales competency in our technologies and accredit companies and individuals who achieve specific levels of demonstrated competency.
The certification and training requirements vary based on region and the technologies that the partner plans to sell and support. As we continue to evolve the program, new requirements may be added to continuously enhance and validate partner knowledge, experience and skills to best meet the needs of our customers.
Do partners need to fulfill certain criteria in order to join the program?
The program supports all channel partners in our ecosystem differently, given their role and growth strategy. We make it easier for new partners to register to participate in the ecosystem to fill coverage gaps and fuel innovation. Based on their unique business models and strategies, most partners align with the Business Partner or Solutions Partner track.
Business Partner channel partners provide expertise in our core technologies and maintain deep, established customer relationships. When these channel partners want to take advantage of greater program benefits, they can progress in the program based on their performance and commitment. They can also differentiate themselves with respect to a specific technology or market area by demonstrating significant expertise and business competency.
Solutions Provider channel partners provide solutions to customers and leverage technical and vertical competency. Under this track, channel partners can progress in the program by developing new practices and solution capabilities while investing in new technical capabilities and innovative solutions. Zebra’s partner programs are designed to reward the most committed and productive partners, whether they choose to go deep into a few technologies or wide across many technologies.
