In the final push for Cisco’s end of year, VARs and distribution partners alike are working around the clock to finalize orders and get last-minute deals in place. Regardless of how much Cisco partners strive to be prepared, it is inevitable that there will be a scramble to the finish line to get these deals into the pipeline and closed. That’s why it’s critical to have strong relationships with your distribution partners. At every step of the way, they are there to help you with the process.
As part of this series on EDGE360, we’ve spoken with Dan Forbes, who has stressed the importance of communication, and Marty Baldwin, who explained the extent of the resources a large distributor like SYNNEX Comstor has to offer partners. One of those resources is the Comstor EDGE program, a sales enablement program for partners looking to navigate the complexities of Cisco to build and grow a dedicated Cisco practice. This team of Product Business Managers is headed up by Shawn Motley, who shares with us that even after decades of preparing for Cisco’s year end, the final week of the year is one of the busiest.
“We are here for our partners,” said Motley, who serves as Director of the PBM team. “As much as partners are encouraged to prepare for the year end, it is inevitable that last-minute orders and deals come in, which is why the SYNNEX Comstor team has extended hours to ensure that deals go through.”
Motley’s team is responsible for educating partners on the latest Cisco solutions and technologies. They hold regular webinars and calls to walk partners through how the technology works, why it is important, and how it helps solve customers’ needs. “Beyond the expertise we have on all things Cisco, we help our partners identify the requirements for registering deals and how to get deeper discounts,” Motley told us.
This includes understanding which programs and incentives are available. Many partners are pushing hard to bring business in to hit rebate incentives. Cisco runs these promotions every quarter and often they change quarterly, so according to Motley, it is important that partners are aware of end dates and when pricing expires. For example, he shared that Fast Track and Fast Track Accelerator are two programs where there is no guarantee that the products will be available after Cisco’s year end on July 25.
“Our team keeps partners up to date on rebates, where they are in the process, and when they need to close. It’s critical that partners understand end dates especially when there are a lot of products and high velocity,” Motley continued. “That’s where we come in. We are here to make our partners successful and profitable, especially in this really busy time.”
While this last week may be a blur for partners and distributors alike, Motley has an eye for the coming year ahead. His team is there to help partners throughout the year build and grow their Cisco practice. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach,” Motley commented. “We take a deep dive with you into your business to identify gaps and where you may be missing out on incentives or rebates to lower costs. Then we outline goals and develop a road map to help you get there,” Motley shared. “We have found that partners who are in our EDGE program grow faster than partners that are not and we attribute that to the step-by-step process that we’ve put into place.”
“We focus on Cisco every day of the week. That’s our priority, so we can help you best build your Cisco business,” Motley concluded.
To reach the SYNNEX Comstor EDGE Product Business manager team, contact: edgeprograms@comstor-na.com. To learn more about the SYNNEX Comstor Progression Programs click here.
