Cisco levels partner playing field

See saw no more: new system should bring parity to smaller partners

Smaller Cisco resellers who buy through distribution are set to get more TLC as the vendor’s Channels Booking Neutrality (CBN) scheme kicks in.

Effective immediately, Cisco account managers will be rewarded for all orders from partners as soon as they are entered, regardless of whether the order is direct with Cisco or via distribution.

The scheme was unveiled at Cisco’s 2009 Partner Summit in Boston, but has only now come into force. Previously, only tier-one bookings on sales orders in excess of $100,000 (£60,500) net counted towards Cisco account managers’ targets.

Cisco distributor Tech Data Azlan claims its Dutch branch is the first in Europe to book an order under the new system.

David Harvey, director of Cisco Business at the distributor, said the change would level the playing field between small and large partners.

“This is a bold move that clearly demonstrates Cisco’s absolute commitment to all its channel partners,” Harvey said. “It is excellent news for us and for all the Cisco partners we work with throughout Europe.”

Cliff Fox, managing director of Cisco Silver partner SICL, said: “There is now a great deal more parity in the marketplace for Silver partners, compared with Gold.”

Fox also welcomed the fact that Cisco had recently opened up about 75 per cent of its list of named accounts to the channel. “We were dealing with those organisations anyway, even though they were supposed to be named accounts, and this just sanctions what we were doing,” he said.