Cisco launches new programme for partners selling to SMBs

Technology for MSMEs: The US-based IT and networking company Cisco on Monday announced the launch of a new programme Partner Deal Express for its channel partners to help increase their sales efficiency and profitability in selling products to small and medium businesses (SMBs) in the Asia Pacific region. The programme involves an upfront discount for partners on a product portfolio meant for SMBs such as cloud-controlled Wi-Fi routing and security solution Cisco Meraki, collaboration platform Webex, multi-factor authentication solution Duo, and cloud solution Cisco Umbrella.

Cisco said the programme will also offer “best pricing and promotions to improve customer experience and increase partner profitability through predictable pricing, which makes closing SMB deals/transactions easier and faster,” according to a company statement.

The portfolio of products catering to SMBs by Cisco’s partners under the programme also included the Cisco On Premise portfolio (wireless networking equipments), Cisco Catalyst (network switches), Cisco Business (affordable switches for small business network), and Cisco Firepower series (firewall platform).

The new programme for partners assumes significance as around 98 per cent of the enterprises in the Asia Pacific region are SMBs, according to market intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC), noted Cisco. Moreover, over 50 per cent of the workforce in the region is employed in SMBs creating a growing need for partner expertise in the security and hybrid workspace.

According to Cisco, the SMB segment was among its fastest-growing areas in the financial year 2022. The company said it will also launch a new web portal for SMBs in the APJC region to drive traffic and leads for its partners as part of the Partner Deal Express programme.

“With technology evolving at a fast pace, SMBs need our partner’s expertise to ensure they deploy the right technologies to transform in the right areas and harness the full potential of digitalization. The Partner Deal Express program is an initiative that enables and empowers our partners to help SMBs by providing simplified visibility, management, and control,” said Michiko Kamata, Managing Director, SMB APJC (Asia Pacific, Japan, and China) at Cisco in the statement.