Tech Data’s latest e-business tool allows Cisco solution providers to quickly and easily attach services to customers’ hardware purchases to generate ongoing services revenue.
Tech
Data’s SMARTattach is the latest in the distributor’s online toolset, and
allows Cisco resellers a quick, efficient way to add services to customers’
hardware purchases.
The
SMARTattach tool, developed in-house by Tech Data, allows Cisco solution
providers to purchase Cisco products online and attach the vendor’s SMARTnet
service agreements at the same time.
SmartNet
is Cisco’s services warranty offering that allows resellers and their end
customers to receive maintenance services and support around the equipment, says
Chuck Bartlett, vice president, networking product marketing, Tech Data.
That
makes it easier for resellers to accurately quote and purchase Cisco solutions
covered by the manufacturer’s technical support services, says Bartlett.
Before
the SMARTattach tool was introduced, resellers had to go through a complicated,
manual process to add services coverage to hardware purchases, which took up
valuable time and often resulted in errors, Bartlett said.
“In the
past, if a reseller purchased from us, they couldn’t enter the hardware and
services at the same time,” he says. “The process was pretty complex, and often
times mistakes were made that affected customers’ coverage,” Bartlett says.
Solution
providers first had to purchase hardware, then go through a separate ordering,
processing and activation process for SMARTnet service agreements after the
hardware shipped. Since the services were different for each hardware product
serial number, solution providers had to enter serial numbers and quotes
separately. If the numbers weren’t correct, customers ended up without services
coverage on their hardware.
The
new SMARTattach tool, available to Cisco resellers through Tech Data’s Cisco
Solutions Center, “streamlines the process to a series of mouse clicks at the
point of hardware purchase,” says Bartlett.
Bartlett
says the feedback from Cisco and Tech Data’s Cisco solution providers has been
overwhelmingly positive.
“Our VARs
wanted us to make the process not only quicker but less complex, to eliminate
the risk of data entry errors or even solution providers forgetting to buy the
services,” he says. Cisco agreed that a tool to streamline the services
ordering process would go a long way toward ensuring solution providers could
generate extra revenue on services and warranty contracts, Bartlett said.
The
SMARTattach tool also ties into Tech Data’s MyLeadTracker tool, which tracks
solution providers services contracts and notifies them when contracts are up
for renewal. This tool has been a valuable asset for solution providers to
generate recurring revenue through services renewals, says Bartlett.
“The
SMARTattach tool automatically feeds information into MyLeadTracker, and the
moment [services contracts] come up for renewal, resellers can be notified and
can make a new sale,” he says.
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