Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 20 | Page 20

ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY could be an end-to-end networking solution and they are probably offering other products along with the Linksys portfolio. Another channel that is growing is the service provider channel. Like BT in the UK, we have Etisalat, Saudi Telecom, Du Telecom, Ooredoo, Zain, Telecom Egypt. With them we do two things: We work with them to offer our consumer routers, access points and range extenders as the standard equipment with their broadband subscriptions. They use Linksys products The big advantage for the business owners is – they don’t have to pay anything up front so they don’t have to really block their capital. as part of their standard equipment when a consumer subscribes to their broadband connection in the home. They give them our product and install it and then the Wi-Fi is set up in the consumer home. These service providers are also getting into the commercial space so they offer managed Wi-Fi Solutions to the commercial establishments so if you are a small or medium business what you do is you go to the service provider to ask for broadband connectivity. But then the service provider is also offering a complete network solution, they are also offering equipment for you so they offer the entire IT end-to-end solution for the business owner and they also manage it. The big advantage for the business owners is – they don’t have to pay anything up front so they don’t have to really block their capital. They can pay as part of their 20 subscription. So this is a business that is really growing and we are heavily focused on that opportunity. We are developing this business along with the service providers. So these are the four different channels that we work with. You work with distributors who then go on to work with system integrators, value added resellers and MSPs. Is that right? Our business model is we only work through a distribution partner. Mostly we have avoided going directly to the tier two partners and we have worked with distribution partners. The reason for that is pretty simple – our distribution partners can add a lot of value by offering local credit facilities. They know how to move the product from Point A to Point B in the most efficient way. We also work with our distribution partners because they have access to a lot of tier two channels because they are multi- vendor distributors. We mostly have dedicated resources with all the distribution partners and we train them, we agree objectives, so we use the distribution partners mostly on stocking, logistics, credit to the market and communication. With their help we also do channel recruitment. Once we do the channel recruitment then we take over those channels. My team is responsible for managing those tier two channels so we actually go in and handhold those tier two channels in terms of providing them with product information, technical and sales training, marketing development and branding. We want them to be able to sell-out to the end-customer. We are not focused on pushing stock in to the channel. We spend a lot of our resources on the tier two channel, to train them and help them do the sell-out. How is Linksys growing the channel? We run technical training, bootcamps and workshops. A typical training session starts