Cisco Partner Summit 2021 kicked off this month, bringing together the channel team digitally to talk through successes from the year and preview focus areas and strategies for the coming year. Despite the challenges of the global pandemic, Cisco has been a strong leader in delivering hybrid work solutions and innovations to enable business continuity during uncertain times. Similarly, the organization has seen a shift in go-to-market strategies as the company and its channel partners make the transition to software-as-a-service solutions. In light of this, Cisco Channel Chief Oliver Tuszik noted that all of the successes from 2021 stemmed from working together with the partner community.
“We don’t take your loyalty for granted. You are the key enabler of our growth and we are committed to you,” Tuszik said as Cisco Partner Summit 2021 opened up, digitally again this year. Tuszik shared how in today’s environment, requirements and priorities are shifting. As such, partner priorities are also shifting. “We are making sure that you continue to have opportunities to grow your business with us in an increasingly complex world.”
To give partners what they need in today’s environment, Tuszik outlined four key promises that Cisco is making with partners in mind:
Focus
“You can trust that we will continue to be a partner-focused company, just like we’ve been for the last 25 years,” Tuszik shared as his first promise to the channel. “We will stand with you through difficult times and continue to be a reliable partner.”
As part of this focus, Cisco is looking to invest in new opportunities that will support partner growth. This includes new cloud marketplaces. “We will continue to invest in fast-growing partner and distributor marketplaces,” Tuszik shared.
Innovation
Cisco is offering new cross-architecture solutions to meet the growing and evolving needs of the customer and moving away from a siloed solution approach.
“You can count on our innovation to meet customer needs. We will deliver the right solutions to perform today and be ready for the future,” he said.
One example is the hybrid work solutions that layer security, connectivity, and collaboration solutions to ensure that partners can offer a managed solution with a “true consumption model,” and create an inclusive experience for everyone.
Choice
Choice is necessary to find the right financial model to support customers, and Cisco is striving to simplify the process. “We will give you the choice to serve your customers and sell the way you prefer,” Tuszik promised. “You pick the right sales motion routes and buy models that best fit your strategy.”
The company has simplified its capital payments and introduced “Cisco Enterprise Agreement Pay, which allows customers to spread the cost of the EA and software over time at no additional costs,” he said.
Profitability
“We will continue to ensure that you can build and deliver a unique edge that allows you to generate customer value and grow your business and profits,” Tuszik promised.
To make it easier for Cisco partners to build, price, and sell, Cisco is developing several tools to create quick quotes and automate discounts while also expanding deal registrations. For software sales, Cisco released a new Enterprise Agreement that allows the entire Cisco software portfolio to be managed under one agreement and one portal to simplify the customer experience.
For more on Cisco Partner Summit 2021, watch on-demand sessions here.
