The success of distribution at Cisco is no longer a secret, thanks to Scott Brown’s recent interview with CRN. Of course, it was no secret to me--our distributors have been an important part of our channel strategy from the beginning. But I’m extremely proud of Scott and his team for driving the more recent growth and deepening our relationship with our distributors.
Those who know me, know I’m all about relationships. And I believe that the success and growth comes, not just from Cisco’s relationship with our distributors, but also from the relationship our distributors have developed with our channel partners. Together, we deliver greater value for our partners.
As customers begin to demand new consumption models, I believe distribution will play a significant role in helping partners evolve their business models more quickly to profitably deliver cloud and managed services solutions. Our commitment to a partner-centric sales and services go-to-market model doesn’t just apply to our traditional channel partners. As more solutions move to the cloud, we plan to work with our major distributors and leverage their capacity and their relationships in order to scale.
At Cisco, we know that our relationship with our partners is vital—80 percent of our revenue flows through our partners, and without your commitment to us, we would not enjoy the successes that we have. But we also know that we have to earn your business and your loyalty every day. You tell us that you value our relationship and many of the things Cisco brings to the table, like technology innovation, practice enablement, profitability programs and our unique partner-centric sales and services go-to-market model. I consider this our Cisco Partnering Value Proposition and we are committed to these core tenants.
As I shared at Partner Summit in San Diego, being “In it to Win it” means taking our relationship to a new level, and that means helping you maximize your business value and optimize your Return on Cisco. So how do we do that?
Watch this video clip of my General Session presentation at Partner Summit to learn more about what I mean when I talk about your Return on Cisco.
As we see it, a partner’s Return on Cisco is comprised of the Cisco Partnering Value Proposition I mentioned, and a new concept we’re calling an Investor’s View of Partner Valuation. Read More »
Networking. Learning. Fun. Our 16th annual Partner Summit in San Diego, California had it all, creating an energizing and forward-thinking environment for our global partners.
Our executives also had a lot to say in between keynotes and networking sessions with much of the focus on Cisco’s vision for the future and our strategy for getting there. The most important topic of conversation, however, was how much we value partners.
During the event, we captured some of Cisco executives’ top takeaways. Want to hear what’s top of mind for Rob Lloyd, EVP, Worldwide Operations; Keith Goodwin, SVP, Worldwide Partner Organization; and Nick, Earle, SVP, Worldwide Partner Organization? Then watch our video.
Keep reading for a full recap of what executives shared in the video. Read More »
The momentum continues on the final day of Partner Summit in San Diego, bringing Catalyst discounts, additional Jabber news, advice on going from good to great, and more—so keep reading for all the details and a link to a handy document that contains all the news.
In this afternoon’s General Session, Keith Goodwin, SVP of our Worldwide Partner organization, introduced author and social scientist Jim Collins who gave a fascinating presentation centered on the day’s theme of Leadership.
He addressed the question of why some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos, and why others do not. He also talked about what differentiates “good” from “great.” His answers were based on nine years of research, including six books, which have sold more than ten million copies worldwide.
“The ‘x’ factor and essence of great leadership is not personality,” said Jim. “The ‘x’ factor is humility, combined with a ferocious will.” He also noted that great leaders—and great companies—pick people better than themselves to be on their teams, are tenacious about confronting brutal facts and realities, ask more questions than make statements, and see themselves as being in service for a cause.
Ambassador Blogger Bonanza: Hear What Partners are Saying
A big thank you to our Partner Summit Partner Ambassador Bloggers for blogging throughout the week. This mighty group of bloggers from BCI, Compugen, Dimension Data, Force3, Logicalis, Presidio Networks, and Varrow shared their viewpoints throughout the event. Here are the most recent posts:
Meanwhile, want to get the details on a brand new incentive for Catalyst series switches? Or find out how you can install Jabber for Everyone for free? Keep reading for details.Read More »
Day Three of Partner Summit kicked off to a bouncing beat: Following a thumping performance by C2C, a group of world champion music DJs, SVP Edison Peres took to the stage to congratulate yesterday’s Olympic trip winners and kick off the day’s theme of Innovation.
He then introduced Padmasree Warrior, CTO and Cisco’s co-leader of Engineering, who opened her presentation with a bold statement: “We are on the verge of the most change this industry has seen in several decades.” She then explained how emerging global economies combined with technology advances are resulting in changing business models, and that the intelligent network is at the heart of innovation.
One such innovation is Cloud Connect, a new software platform the company will soon launch for enhancing cloud deployments, increasing cloud security, and simplifying cloud-based operations. Plus, customers can leverage the software to build applications customized for their own requirements.
But what does all this mean for partners? Why more opportunities, of course. To view Padma’s complete presentation, including a demo of iPad authenticating via Cisco ISE to Cisco Quad, check out the replay on Virtual Partner Summit.
Also check out this video--we spoke with partners today to hear from them what it’s like to be a Cisco partner and what’s standing out for them at this year’s Partner Summit.
And don’t miss today’s other big announcements, including Jabber for Everyone, recaps of several of today’s Business Transformation breakout sessions, how to win an iPad, and more! Read More »
