UPS Vendor APC by Schneider Electric Revamps Channel Rewards Program

Integrated power and cooling services vendor APC
by Schneider Electric is revamping its channel partner rewards program to
include more incentives. The new rewards program gives partners points for
selling certain APC products and solutions
that can be redeemed for consumer electronics products or even vacations,
company executives told Channel Insider.

The new rewards program replaces an existing program called Paybacks. And
channel partners have told APC that it wants
the company to add business reinvestment-type rewards as well, said Gordon
Lord, director of channel marketing and programs at APC.

“That’s the next phase,” he said. “Partners will be able to receive credits
back through distribution based on points.” Plus, partners will be able to
spend points on demand-generation type activities. Lord says that phase is
coming in the second calendar quarter of 2010.

Lord said that over 500 of the company’s products are eligible for points,
including the company’s next-generation Smart UPS
line of solutions. But he added that product lines from desktop UPS
devices all the way up to UPS devices for
the data center are eligible to earn points.

“A large majority of product families are represented,” he said.

In crafting the new rewards program APC
looked at the existing program in place, looked at the partner community, and
determined which types of rewards worked for partners and seemed to drive the
behavior the company was looking for from partners. Then it looked at “some of
best-in-class rewards programs that were out there.” From those data points APC
created its new program.

APC said IT resellers and partners can sign
up by registering with the company. Members can earn points by selling data
center, server room and wiring closet equipment, including UPS
systems and power distribution units, power distribution units, racks and
accessories, cooling, and many other products.

Partners can earn additional points by building their competencies through APC’s
partner training program via instructor-led courses and Webinars.

In addition, now through March 31, any partner who enrolls in the rewards
program gets a 1,000-point bonus.