Cisco feels the SME love

Vendor unveils a raft of new initiatives aimed at boosting VAR profitability in the SME space

Cisco has unveiled a new small business partner profitability drive aimed at resellers operating in the SME space.

The networking giant is also set to expand its small business product portfolio with new network security and collaboration technologies, and is extending its zero per cent financing offer to SMEs across Europe, Canada and the US to encourage spend.

According to Cisco, the combined strategy, launched on a global basis, will help firms with less than 100 employees gain a competitive advantage and help the channel partners that serve them to build profitable and sustainable small business practices.

Highlights of the scheme include five new Small Business Development Fund (PDF) tracks that map to the different partner types selling to SME customers, including Registered, Specialised, online resale partners and service providers.

Small Business PDF will also provide quarterly payments to qualifying partners based on their purchases of Cisco Small Business products. Cisco has also unleashed new partner registration and programme intelligence tools to offer simplified enrollment and sales-tracking capabilities.

Andrew Sage, vice president of worldwide small business sales at Cisco, said: “The new partner profitability framework, coupled with our broad portfolio of small business solutions and support, helps our channel partners build and sustain a profitable small business practice. This is the Cisco Small Business Advantage, and with it, our partners can confidently pursue and serve their small customers.”

Ian Pennell, senior vice president of the Small Business Technology Group at Cisco, added: “Cisco is dedicated to delivering reliable, easy-to-use technology to small businesses to help them solve real business issues, work smarter and faster, and ultimately help them gain a competitive advantage.”