| The pieces are in place in Nokia's new global Business Channel Program |
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| In: Asian Channels December 2006 | |
| Written by Shanti Anne Morais | |
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Recognizing that the development and needs of its channel partners have
changed substantially, and realizing that this evolution of its partner
business now requires a focus on building a successful channel
ecosystem, starting from October 18th 2006, Nokia launched its all-new
global Business Channel Program, revolving around the motto ‘Working
together. Smarter. To grow your business – and ours’. The Nokia for Business Channel Program is something brand new for Nokia, completely superseding any other channel programs within the company, and according to Benjamin Corser, director, channel development, Nokia, has already started receiving positive feedback from partners in the Asia Pacific region. He says that 90 per cent of partners who attended Nokia’s channel launch event in Vietnam on October 18th this year, have said that they will sign-up for the program. Commenting on the key elements of the initiative, he says that it is comprehensive and modular, simple and integrated, allowing partners to zoom in on their strengths and what is relevant to their business. "A 2-tier distribution model, it’s not a volume driver program but a value-driven one. It enables our partners to invest in the levels and tracks that complement their business model, core expertise and customer needs with two partner levels (Authorized and Expert) and three technology tracks at each level – Mobility, Security and Voice," he adds. "It’s all about building and supporting our channel ecosystem, and this is a clear intention of ours. The focus is on contact and engagement with our partners. We want to work even closer with our partners and we know that a structured level of support is important which is why we are working hard on this." Corser notes that the program will also effectively respond to businesses’ needs for real-time information and communications by establishing a "world-class mobility ecosystem", thereby accelerating the adoption of mobility solutions by allowing enterprises to rely on a competent network of Nokia for Business Partners. To develop this ecosystem, Nokia is offering a range of benefits to accredited partners with an emphasis on value selling and solutions expertise. Corser explains, "We are convinced that this is the best way to support our partners’ long-term profitability and ensure end-customer satisfaction and loyalty." From the distribution perspective, Nokia wants to identify which distributors are skilled to take over a broader space (especially in the Mobility and Voice arenas). "We are in the process of identifying key distribution partners in these spaces," he adds. "With this Nokia for Business Channel Program, partners have an environment in which they can evolve their expertise in any or even all of the company’s 3 different business units – Mobility, Voice and Security," elaborates Corser. "This means that all our partners have the chance to play an essential role in developing the business-mobility market, build sustainable profits, strengthen their competitive advantage and capitalize on high-margin opportunities as they emerge." The Authorized Level is designed for channel partners who wish to achieve a moderate level of expertise in one or more of Nokia’s technology tracks. The business model of an Authorized Partner typically includes a focus on designing, integrating, implementing and supporting security and/or mobility solutions. The Expert Level is for channel partners seeking to achieve the highest level of expertise in one or more of Nokia’s 3 Technology Tracks. The business model of an Expert Partner typically focuses on designing, integrating, implementing and supporting moderate to complex mobility solutions. The key measurement of the program’s success, notes Corser, is a strong, holistic partner ecosystem that provides support for all their partners to be successful in Voice, Security and Mobility. "It is important to us that what we have now put in place is relevant and stays relevant to our partners. In fact, the next evolution of the program is identifying what is relevant to both the marketplace as well as our partners." Corser feels that the biggest challenge the company faces with this new channel program at the moment, is the aggressive timelines that Nokia have put in place to get all their partners on board, and ensure they are all trained and certified, but he stresses that they are working hard and fast to achieve this as quickly as possible. "We are very confident in our Nokia for Business Channel Program and we will definitely learn as we go along developing an IT channel and a network of partners," he notes. Nokia already has a strong partner and alliance base in the Security space, and they will continue to build this as well as concentrate on and build-up their Voice and Mobility tracks. Corser elaborates, "We want to solidify our Security unit and build on the Mobility and Voice units by working closely with partners who understand the market opportunities in these spaces. We will look for new partners where it is relevant but we also want to concentrate on our existing partner base. We want to focus on the next wave of mobility because the puzzle pieces are already being put in place to ensure end-to-end solutions and connectivity. We always had a channel program for our Security track but when we also decided to move into Mobility and Voice, we knew that we needed a more complex program to ensure a program that is extremely high-touch, and that is able to identify partners in these spaces, and one that is able to create as well as identify opportunities in these markets. "Right now, we are on the edge of the chasm and we can’t wait to unlock the true potential of business mobility for Nokia, for our partners and for our customers." ? By Shanti Anne Morais |
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