D-Link Taps NCR In Plan To Offer Partners Prepackaged Services

D-Link Systems has teamed with NCR to provide smaller solution providers with a way to instantly add a professional services offering.

Launched in late April, the D-Link Network Services Program gives partners the option to bundle D-Link products with custom, professional service contracts that are fulfilled by NCR, Dayton, Ohio. The service packs offered under the program mix and match on-site service response, product replacement and phone-based help-desk assistance, said Rocky Rosas, technical marketing engineer for D-Link, Fountain Valley, Calif.

"The program helps many of our resellers quickly move up the value chain," said Rosas.

The program is structured to set up NCR as the first-call respondent on customer-service inquiries. However, solution providers can instead choose to specify on individual program contracts that they receive the first call on services, putting them in control of the handoff to NCR, said Rosas. "It's a line item on the contract, so the reseller controls how they want to sell the services," he said.

Maintaining control of customer-service calls is critical, said Lockie Gillies, owner of Wine Country Computers, a D-Link VAR in Healdsburg, Calif.

The D-Link Network Services Program will play well to the solution provider's larger clients, including vineyards and bed and breakfasts, which are more likely to purchase additional service guarantees beyond what Gillies' own shop can provide, he said.

But Gillies doesn't want any of his customers serviced without his knowledge, because service is one key to Gillies' ongoing relationship with his customer base, he said.

"Services are critical, and we want to be first call no matter what," he said.

The service packs can be customized to include four-hour or next business day on-site technical response, next business day hardware replacement and either business-hour or round-the-clock phone support. Contracts can be renewed annually or on a three-year basis. And service pack pricing is discounted to beat the cost of buying D-Link products and the associated NCR services separately, according to D-Link.

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