Cisco introduces new partner programme enhancements

Additionally, Cisco launched a new digital partner platform that will be a one-stop shop for anything a partner needs when working with Cisco.

"Transformation is accelerating now more than ever before and we need our programmes and platforms to reflect how Cisco and our partners can best succeed together," said Oliver Tuszik, SVP, Global Partner Organization, Cisco. "These changes will deliver simplicity and allow Cisco and our partners to be more agile, relevant, and profitable. It's about being 'Future Ready' for anything that comes our way."

One Cisco partner programme

Over the next 12 to 18 months, Cisco will simplify its partner programme structure. Along with this, the company will consolidate nearly a dozen of the separate partner programmes into one single programme.

The new Cisco Partner Programme will offer partners more opportunity to differentiate across the various aspects of their business from reselling to managed services to developer and advisor practices with Cisco.

“2020 and the pandemic greatly accelerated the need for our partners to transform to deliver managed services and SaaS to lines of business, to develop applications and automation on top of Cisco platforms and to generate full customer value across the lifecycle,“ said Marc Suplus, vice president, Strategy, Planning, and Programmes. “We are taking a bold step to break down the siloes partners feel between our various partner programmes that will give our partners more freedom to differentiate and transform across the dimensions of their Cisco business.”

The New Cisco Partner Programme is based on four key roles that Cisco sees partners playing: integrator, provider, developer, and advisor.

Partners can choose to focus on one role or all four – whatever makes the most sense for their business. Cisco’s Gold brand remains the cornerstone of the new programme while also enhancing the Premier and Select tiers to ensure partners have the degrees of freedom needed to differentiate with their customers.

Current Cisco partners will not be asked to start over with this new programme as it was designed to reflect and recognise their deep Cisco expertise and long-time partnership.

The new Cisco Partner Programme will offer partners more opportunity to differentiate across the various aspects of their business

New Partner Experience Platform (PXP)

In addition to the new partner programme changes, the global tech leader is also launching the first digital partner platform that provides a single gateway to everything a partner needs when it comes to working with Cisco across the lifecycle.

The Partner Experience Platform (PXP) delivers an improved experience and further enforces Cisco’s partner first culture. Partners will be able to collaborate across a connected ecosystem, co-innovate, and co-sell together with Cisco on one digital platform.

“We co-innovated and co-developed PXP with our partners to deliver a future-ready platform,” said Jose van Dijk, vice president, Operations and Partner Performance, Cisco. “Our focus is to reimagine the digital channel and to empower partners with digital agility across the entire partner lifecycle.”

PXP aims to deliver benefits and value to our partners in the following ways:

Simplicity: PXP will bring together 100+ tools, applications, and portals to a single digital platform making it easier for partners to navigate and be a one-stop shop for everything.

Productivity: The new platform will deliver efficiencies for partners, such as faster enrollment on programmes and better ability to co-sell with Cisco.

Growth and profitability: PXP will deliver actionable insights for partners to drive new growth opportunities, optimise incentives better, and monitor partner performance.

In its 2021 development journey, Cisco will embrace updates throughout the year, including benchmarking capabilities, faster onboarding and enrollment, and a digital community for Cisco partners to collaborate.

Partner programme changes will be rolled out throughout the 2021 fiscal year globally.

The Partner Experience Platform (PXP) will be available for all global partners starting from November 30, 2020.