Nokia Empowers Partners with New Channel Program

Nokia on Oct. 9 unveiled its Nokia for Business Channel Program, designed to encourage cross-track sales of the mobile communications developers’ array of mobility, security and voice solutions.

Under the program, Nokia’s group of about 1,000 partners are encouraged to participate in multiple technology tracks, said John Mason, vice president of global channels and operations, Nokia Solutions, in White Plains, N.J. The worlds of security, voice and mobility are merging, and savvy solution providers can boost revenue substantially by becoming expert in these diverse yet complementary technologies, he said.

And Nokia is putting its money where its mouth is by offering escalating rebates as a solution provider expands the technologies it supports.

“There’s actually a multiplier rebate,” said Mason. “There’s an even higher one if they get accredited in all three Nokia tracks. The one who is involved the most gets the many more rewards.”

Nokia hopes the program will encourage existing and new partners to become authorized.

“Ideally all the current partners—both security and software—will join the program now,” said Mason. “I’d like to see a high percentage of partners receive multiple authorizations. There are opportunities for a lot of companies to move across multiple product tracks.”

Nokia’s Enterprise Solutions sales force is supporting the channel with “high touch” demand-generation activities, he said. Fulfillment, however, will be the exclusive domain of Nokia partners, Mason added.

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The Nokia for Business Channel Program also includes pre-sales technical support, assigned account managers, marketing support and access to a knowledge base for ongoing support. In addition, the developer has created a new Web portal for its Authorized and Expert partners to access marketing materials, and track personnel training, market development funds and accrued rebates, according to Nokia.

Although the program requires certification, solution providers can test out based on existing knowledge, Mason said. “We’ve also made sure the majority of training we require for authorization is online,” he said. “The online training is very effective and it’s free.”