Schneider Electric Says Power Is The Next Big Customer Conversation

At XChange August, Schneider Electric’s Jon LoBello and Larry Hann urged solution providers to look beyond traditional IT narratives and consider power infrastructure as a strategic business opportunity.

“You likely know Schneider Electric as APC, a UPS hardware vendor,” said LoBello, director of IT channel program strategy. “But what you might not realize is that we're also equally passionate about software.”

LoBello introduced the company’s Power Infrastructure Assessment as a tool that can be used for prospecting, consulting or driving revenue. “Think of it differently and it can unlock more doors than you might think,” he said. “In fact, it can unlock your next big customer acquisition.”

Hann, director of channel field sales north and digital services strategy, emphasized the cost of downtime and the lack of visibility many customers have into their UPS systems. “Downtime is always happening at a most inconvenient time, and it's incredibly disruptive,” Hann said. “And 25 percent of the time it's because of an unmanaged or reactively managed UPS.”

He cited third-party data from the Ponemon Institute and explained how Schneider Electric’s tools help partners quantify downtime costs, consult on lifecycle management and deliver strategic value. “Most customers have no idea of the magnitude of these costs to their business,” Hann said.

Solution providers interested in expanding their value proposition can learn more at cloud.go.se.com.