Everybody Wins: Enabling Greater Value in a Partner Ecosystem
The Internet of Everything (IoE) has become a catchall phrase to describe adding connectivity and intelligence to just about every device in order to give them special functions. But what is IoE really—and how is it impacting the future of the IT channel?
IoE connects people, processes, data and things to further enhance the power of the Internet and to create business outcomes that ultimately make people’s lives better. It’s more than just a trend. It’s disrupting industries, countries and businesses globally.
As a result, the opportunities and potential are vast and you need to look ahead to truly grasp them. Look at it this way: In 2003, there were roughly 500 million devices connected to the Internet and by 2020 that figure is expected to grow to more than 50 billion devices. By 2022, we believe the total savings and sales recognized from this growth will amount to $19 trillion in value. So how does this directly impact your business?
To remain relevant and to be successful, traditional solution providers and VARs must change their way of thinking and evaluate their current vendor relationships to ensure they have access to leading-edge technologies and next-generation solutions supported by a thriving partner ecosystem.
That’s why we created the Cisco Partner Ecosystem, which places emphasis on the relationships among a network of trusted partners—including traditional and nontraditional partners—and the solutions they jointly create and deliver. There’s strength in numbers and these partners are working together to create solutions in strategic growth areas like cloud, big data, social business and mobility—areas where most customers will spend in IT.
According to IDC research, the Cisco Partner Ecosystem is poised to experience 11 percent growth over the next four years, reaching $242 billion in revenue. Partners that adapt to the new trends, shift business models, and deliver high-value services and solutions will generate significantly higher revenue relative to Cisco products, solutions and services. Those partners that don’t change will go the way of the floppy disk, mainframe and the PBX.
How Relationships Help Spark Savvy Solutions
The Cisco Solutions Showcase is at the heart of our ecosystem connecting partners with leading software vendors that create the latest innovations in IoE and beyond. The Cisco Solutions Showcase has more than 100 channel-ready solutions based on Cisco technologies like security, collaboration, mobility, big data and more.
We give these solutions our highest endorsement—they are Cisco Compatible—and we make no secret of it. They come with seller enablement materials and, depending on your relationship with Cisco, we’ll provide a discount on each one you register and then sell—helping you increase margins and profitability.
When you take advantage of the Cisco Solutions Showcase you’ll enter new markets, start relationships with new partners and find more buyers for what you’re creating. Click here to get a free Cisco Solutions Showcase e-book and open a myriad of new revenue opportunities for your organization.
Arjun Lahiri is the Director, Global Partner Organization at Cisco Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in IT that helps companies seize the opportunities of tomorrow by proving that amazing things can happen when you connect the previously unconnected.
Sponsored by Cisco.