Resellers interested in becoming a Cisco partner have a helpful gateway in the Quick Start program offered by SYNNEX Comstor. With a strong understanding of Cisco and dedicated resources, the Quick Start program is just what a new partner needs to get started.
“There is a lot of misunderstanding about becoming a Cisco partner, especially within the SMB market,” Bruce Roe, SYNNEX Comstor Product Business Manager for Cisco Partner Enablement, told us. “Some SMB resellers believe that because they are a small company, Cisco doesn’t want to do business with them or that the few orders they bring in won’t matter. But in reality, there is not a threshold for Cisco.” Roe also explained that many small businesses believe that registering to be a Cisco partner costs money and takes significant time to enroll.
The SYNNEX Comstor Quick Start program is designed to help SMB resellers get started on their Cisco journey. The step-by-step process helps these resellers get registered with SYNNEX Comstor and Cisco, gives them access to custom resources and educational programs, and creates a path for the partner to continue to expand their practice with SYNNEX Comstor’s EDGE Progression Programs.
“We take partners by the hand and guide them along the way,” Roe explained. “It starts with a conversation where we talk through the requirements and walk them through the process. They can actually register right there on the phone, and they are up and running before they hang up.”
For video game lovers, Roe aligned the Quick Start program to the cheat codes that you get for certain games to help you beat the system and move quickly through the levels. “Quick Start is the cheat code for partners to get invested with Cisco. It makes the onboarding process with Cisco faster than before by providing a guide to help partners track their progress, leverage our tools and expertise, and ultimately create a smarter journey,” he said.
Cisco has multiple levels of partnerships, and the SYNNEX Comstor team is there to help partners decide the best path. If the partner is interested in Meraki, Collaboration, Data Center, Security, or traditional routing and switching, your dedicated guide will help with certifications, opportunities, incentives, and more. Similarly, if the partner decides they want to grow an existing practice or build a new practice, there are dedicated team members to help along the way.
Roe said there isn’t much that a business must do to qualify as a Cisco partner, but he did offer some basic advice for SMB resellers. First, he recommended that the business have a physical address. Virtual addresses or P.O. boxes are not enough. The organization also needs a working website and an email address with the company’s domain name, rather than a Hotmail, Yahoo, or Gmail address. With those in place, Roe said it is time to contact SYNNEX Comstor.
“Be ready for the journey to start and hang on,” said Roe. “The ride can go as fast or as slow as you’d like it to. Whatever your preference, our team is here to help.”
