Cisco ups VAR rebates in small business push

Rewarding work: Cisco is giving Registered partners five per cent quarterly rebates

Cisco is extending rebates to about 12,000 more VARs across Europe as part of a small business-focused channel drive.

As of earlier this year, Cisco addresses the sub-100 seat market separately to the wider SME space. Last week the networking goliath unveiled a raft of products and rewards for small businesses and the VARs that serve them.

Included in the Small Business Advantage initiative are five Partner Development Fund tracks. For the first time, Registered partners will be entitled to a quarterly five per cent cash-back incentive. For resellers scaling the partner ladder, rebates could reach 25 per cent.

Zero per cent finance will also be offered to all VARs and Cisco claims it has made its channel scheme easier to enrol in and keep track of.

Also launched were additions to the small business product portfolio, including five IP phones and Cisco's Smart Business Communications System Release 1.6.

Cisco's SMB Europe director Stanimira Koleva told CRN Cisco had about 12,000 Registered partners across the continent and a further 3,000 at Select level. She revealed that the Registered partner base was expanding about 40 per cent annually.

"We wanted to streamline offerings to the reseller, as well as make it easier for small business customers to get support," she said.

She also hailed the integration of the Linksys products and channel programme, which took place last year.

Cisco partners holding the vendor's SMB Specialisation welcomed the vendor's increased focus on small business but urged it to go even further.

Scott Fletcher, chief executive of VAR ANS Group, said: "Cisco needs a different approach to be able to compete in that market. It needs to be more aggressive and give it its own focus."

Neil Stephenson, chief executive of Onyx Group, added: "This will definitely be a strategic challenge for Cisco, but small business is a huge market and I can understand why it is doing this."