Tech Data has developed a new program to provide specialized sales support, services and credit options for SMB solution providers.

The TDPrioritySMB program allows VARs to choose their sales structure, tools and ordering options from dedicated sales teams, according to the distributor. In addition, the program offers enhanced services and credit options to help VARs better serve the SMB market, according to Greg Banning, vice president of SMB sales at Tech Data.

Along with the program, Clearwater, Fla.-based Tech Data plans to provide additional credit to selected SMB VARs, extended 60-day credit terms for Hewlett-Packard products and a discount on Web-based orders for SMB VARs.

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"TDPrioritySMB is about one door, one gateway, with access into Tech Data's financial size, scalability and strength. But, it also goes beyond that. It's both a conduit for vendors and resellers to have access to vendors and customers," Banning said from Tech Data's annual Vendor Summit conference in Orlando, Fla., Thursday.

The program is initially open to any Tech Data VAR that qualifies as an SMB solution provider, but Banning said in the future the program could add tiered levels of support.

Tech Data recently completed a study of its SMB account portfolio, which led to credit increases totaling $25 million for nearly 1,700 customers, the company said. Meanwhile, the discount of 1 percent for Web-based orders will last through Tech Data's fiscal third quarter, the end of this month.

In addition to additional credit, SMB solution providers should have improved access to other services and resources within Tech Data's portfolio, Banning said.

"Our SMB resellers have had access to various Tech Data services and support as of last week before this launch. But, coordinating those and getting access, in all honesty, might have been not as streamlined or timely as some resellers would have wanted to maneuver through our whole operation," Banning said. "Now one gateway simplifies things for all services available to them."

For example, it should be easier for VARs to build marketing services through Tech Data's TDAgency program and simpler for VARS to find the right contact to talk to at vendors as well, Banning said.

"We have held several SMB reseller roundtable sessions, and we heard front and center that access to the vendor community was important. Rather than figure out who they need to call, we can help them through the process," he said.

While the 1-percent discount for Web orders will only last a couple more weeks, Banning said there will be future incentives for VARs there as a means to drive more traffic to the site.

"We've made several enhancements to the Web page and will make several [significant] enhancements there in the next 60 to 90 days. This all goes back to efficiency and helping VARs be more responsive than bigger competitors," Banning said.

PUBLISHED OCT. 18, 2012