Netgear Enhances Channel, Releases New Gear At Interop

First, Netgear has restructured its PowerShift Partner Program to offer partners increased profitability, enhance training resources and improve support for resellers.

According to Matthew Dargis, senior director of U.S. SMB sales for Netgear, the new PowerShift Program will include four tiers with membership criteria based on partner productivity. The basic tier, which all Netgear resellers are eligible for, provides benefits like U.S.-based technical support, sales and marketing assistance, and pre- and post sales support. Based on sales revenue, partners are eligible for the PowerShift Gold, Platinum and Platinum plus membership levels which offer added incentives like upfront product discounts, dedicated account managers, advanced network configuration technical support and Market Development Funds.

Key benefits of the program include volume incentive rebates, instant rebates through tier one distributors, access to mail-in rebates and other promotions, improved government and education discounts and a deal registration program. On the support side, resellers receive direct access to 24x7 device-level technical support and an improved risk-free product evaluation program. For sales and marketing, resellers receive a "where to buy" listing on Netgear's Website, marketing and sales toolkits, a welcome pack and a go-to-market toolkit. And for pre- and post-sales, Netgear partners receive network design and topology diagrams and access to the revamped Netgear PowerShift Partner Portal which provides access to online and advanced return material authorization, notification of product changes, improved Netgear University training modules, technical presentations and white papers, frequent webinars offering live seminars, training sessions, product launches, demonstrations and briefings.

Resellers that achieve a minimum of $10,000 in annual networking revenue are eligible for the PowerShift Gold level, which adds upfront product discounts to the benefits offered at the basic membership level. And resellers that get higher levels of annually networking revenue can reach the PowerShift Platinum level and receive additional sales and marketing support, including a dedicated account manager, advanced network configuration technical support, pre-sales engineer support, market development funds, premier posting on the vertical section of "where to buy" on the Netgear Web site, joint sales call support and advanced product road map previews.

At the top of the heap is Netgear's premier partner level, the PowerShift Platinum Plus. That level is offered by invitation only and gives partners the highest available upfront discounts and all of the benefits received at the Platinum level.

John Grady, Netgear's senior director of SMB product marketing, said the Platinum Plus level, which requires $250,000 in annual networking revenue, can boost discount levels from eight percent to 12 percent.

Additionally, Grady said, Netgear moved support back to the U.S. from India, to better serve its VARs and customers.

VARs also receive a priority line that puts them in the front of the queue when they call, Dargis said.

"Time is money to these guys," Grady added. "We needed to make the call durations shorter."

Dargis said Netgear is also partnering with Media Defined to offer partners certifications and developing modular training courses, while also working on new benefits for certified and trained partners.

"Certification cannot mean $10,000 tuition and a week away from the office," Dargis said. "The training is really the key to solidifying a longer term relationship, but at the end of the day you also have to have the right products."

Reza Zarafshar, president of Advanced Computer Concepts, a McLean, Va.-based solution provider, said the program enhancements and additional training and certification opportunities are a welcome change. Advanced Computer Concepts has been a Netgear partners for the past seven years and is now a Platinum Plus partner.

"We welcome being able to take advantage of new programs and incentives," he said.

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