Stack Up The Benefits

THE POWER OF LENOVO 360

Stack Up The Benefi ts

We want to provide a great experience for our partners,” says Cassie Jeppson, director, Channel Programs, North America, at Lenovo. “We want to reward partners for their advocacy and engagement “ across our solutions.” Advocacy and engagement is lucrative, too. Under Lenovo’s Better Together program, partners who sell across Lenovo’s portfolio of solutions or add services accelerate their earnings. For example, partners who have traditionally sold Lenovo’s PC solutions can earn accelerators when they add data center infrastructure solutions or services to the sale. Partners that have carried Lenovo servers, storage and networking in the past can earn incentives and rewards for adding smart collaboration solutions, backup and recovery services or other solutions to the mix. Under the Better Together program, partners have individual targets for endpoint, data center and services. Partners who hit two of those targets receive a 20 percent accelerator, which is then added to existing incentives. If they achieve all three goals, a 30 percent accelerator kicks in.

It’s easy—and entirely optional—to leverage the Better Together program.

“Partners can have a simple conversation with their partner account manager about their business strategy and deterCASSIE JEPPSON Director, Channel mine if the program is a good Programs, North fi t based on their engagement,” America says Jeppson.

Lenovo helps smooth the way for partners who venture into new solution areas or vertical markets. A partner account manager provides a single point of contact, providing easy access to Lenovo’s enablement and deep technical resources. Solution builders on the Lenovo Partner Hub make it easy to customize pre-integrated solutions to specifi c customer requirements. Partners can tap into training and certifi cation as their new competencies take root and fl ourish.

The journey is tailored to the individual partner. “Onboarding is different for each partner,” says

Jeppson. “We meet partners wherever they are.”

It’s A Match

Better Together isn’t the only program that rewards engagement. Kamal LaBreche, senior director, Strategic Sales & Services, North America Channel, at Lenovo, points to the success of programs like Mission Acquisition, which targets net-new customers.

“The partners and Lenovo identify accounts we’d like to break into,” says LaBreche. “Partners get a rebate to offset acquisition costs. Acquisition is expensive and we can help level the playing fi eld.”

Lenovo also provides medallion and tier matching as partners expand into new areas. With medallion match, Lenovo will match a partner’s status in a competitive partner program, which incents new partners to sell Lenovo solutions and services.

“Partners have nine months to meet revenue, training and engagement goals,” says LaBreche. The partner works with their account manager to develop a plan to grow the business successfully.

Similarly, Lenovo o ers tier matching across Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group (IDG) and Infrastructure Services Group (ISG). For instance, a Platinum partner for IDG will be matched at the same tier when selling ISG solutions.

Expanded Marketing Resources

Lenovo has been driving brand awareness through a consistent global message and high-profi le partnerships with Formula 1, Ducati Corse and DreamWorks Animation. While those investments provide air cover, Lenovo is also doubling down on marketing tactics.

A big initiative for 2022 is an expansion of through-partner marketing activities. At the top of the list are self-service marketing campaigns, which can be executed via a marketing automation platform designed for partners’ use.

“We’re developing a number of tools that will allow partners to quickly and e ectively co-brand Lenovocreated collateral,” says LaBreche. The company is building out playbooks, case studies and other content assets to educate potential customers and accelerate the sales cycle.

Market development funds are, of course, a staple. “We will continue our commitment to MDF funds,” says LeBreche.

“The ease of working with Lenovo marketing and MDF is head and shoulders above any other manufacturer,” says Susie Smith, general manager, Twotrees Technologies, a solution provider specializing in K-12 education and enterprise. “It isn’t just the fact that Lenovo really does listen to the reseller, but the quality of the materials and assets provided are another reason why Twotrees feels we have the biggest impact with Lenovo.”

Creating Customer Value Together

“The relationships and collaboration with partners are our North Star,” says Jeppson. “If we have the right collaboration and engagement with partners, that’s where the innovation happens.”

Partners agree, including Huber & Associates, a Midwest solution provider.

“Lenovo’s long-term strength in our eyes has always been their commitment to developing trusted partnerships in the channel that are single-mindedly focused on delivering value to the end user,” says Rich Kliethermes, director, Application Services, at Huber & Associates.

“One weakness Lenovo and Lenovo’s channel partners have had to navigate has been the internal walls that exist between various business groups that make up Lenovo,” he continues. “The Lenovo 360 framework resolves this challenge, bringing down the walls that have existed within Lenovo and subsequently freeing Lenovo and channel resources to bringing value to the market. When all partners are at the table, better solutions are created, and we have seen this fi rsthand.” 

KAMAL LABRECHE

Senior Director, Strategic Sales & Services, North America Channel

PREPARED FOR THE NEXT REALITY

Power your business with the full benefit of Lenovo

IT is at the heart of every business—especially yours. Lenovo 360 unleashes our people, programs, and tools to give our Partners smarter solutions to power the future of work. By uniting our Intelligent Device Group (IDG), Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), and Solutions & Services Group (SSG), we make it easier for you to keep your customers’ business information flowing.

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We’ve created an intuitive tool where you can find everything you need to optimize your marketing and sales. • Role-based support functionality • Sales enablement downloads • Latest product and promotion info • Programs and training

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At Lenovo, we believe smarter technology revolutionizes business. And that’s exactly what the New IT does for you: • Outcome-based solutions • Single shipments, scalable, ready to deploy • Endpoint, infrastructure, and support included