Processors- Intel is the Winner

No surprises in the processors segment this year as well. Living up to the expectations of the channel partners in the country, Intel has emerged as the most preferred brand. Unlike motherboards, where the company has a few competitions in the market, the processors segment is ruled by Intel followed by its only competitor, AMD. Intel processors scored over AMD across all parameters, be it product quality, marketing support, aftersales support, commercial terms, online support, and relationship management. There are certain parameters like technological leadership of the product, price versus performance ratio, innovativeness of market development programs, turnaround time, promptness in stock replacement, where Intel's overwhelming superiority as compared to AMD has been widely endorsed by the channel partners.

Like the last few years, partners have again given Intel maximum points for overall product quality followed by after-sales support. Its lowest score came in overall commercial terms, though it leads AMD comfortably in this parameter as well. The company definitely needs to work on product pricing, maintaining flexibility and transparency in its commercial terms and policies, back-end incentives and its settlement, profit margins given to the partners, and the promptness with which the schemes/incentive programs are communicated.

After last year's feedback on improving its online support to the partners, it seems that the company has worked on it extensively. Intel has not only bolstered the richness of online resources it offers to the partners but has also came up with an interactive site for resolving any of their queries and improved upon the turnaround time/promptness.

The company's effort towards providing marketing support in terms of its advertising strategies, pointof-sales material, allocation of funds for marketing, and flexibility in conducting localized promotions have been widely lauded by the partners. And so is the company's ability to provide satisfactory repair and replacement services along with its proactive service approach and presence of its service centers across the country.

As far as AMD is concerned, it has to catch up with Intel in a number of areas. In particular, concern will be the channel partners' lack of confidence in the company about its technological leadership, innovations in its market development programs, allocation of funds for marketing, promptness in stock replacement, and proactive service approach. AMD lacks badly in providing online support, be it slow turnaround time, ineffective online partner portal, and inadequate online resources. Nonetheless, partners appreciate the company's products, conforming to specifications and transparency in commercial terms and policies.