“The Technology Provider program will now extend to partners”–Kamil Hassan

What has been the response of Intel's Solution Summit, 2011?
Intel Solution Summit (ISS) is the largest premium event for Intel channel partners, which is held around the world once every year. At this ISS which was held for the APAC and Japan markets, we invited 580 delegates from 18 countries. Moreover, we saw 20 ODMs from China and Taiwan to display their products. The objective of this event was to bring all tiers of partners at one place and give heads up for coming technologies, changing environment, networking and match making.

According to you, what are the primary take-aways from ISS, 2011?
With new technologies evolving faster, it is essential for channel partners to give new business directions beyond computing. We have identified new avenues for channel partners, including tablets, new form factors for netbooks and laptops, and embedded technologies such as digital signage and point-of-sales systems. Moreover, our Atom processor and 2nd generation technologies have given advent to plethora of products. Hence, we intended to help, train, support and position our channel partners for sustained growth, both in their current PC segments, while helping them capture new opportunities in reselling integrated solutions, and in high-growth emerging segments such as SSDs and PC-like embedded solutions.

In 2011, Intel has improved its membership program. What are the enhancements?
We have integrated our Intel membership program with the newly introduced Technology Provider program. The new program will assist its partners for sustained success amidst the changing realities of today's IT business environment (both in real world and online) in the different economies of Asia. The program will now extend to partners that not only build systems but also those which resell Intel technology-based systems and solutions, supporting their product development, technical support and sales efforts. Moreover, the evolved program has three new membership levels comprising Registered partners, Gold partners and Platinum partners.

Could you discuss the partner categories in detail?
A Registered partner is the entry membership level which provides the partner access to ‘members-only content' on the Intel Reseller Centre website, channel e-newsletters, and online training on Intel products and solutions free of cost. At the next tier, we have the Gold partners, where as one develops their knowledge of Intel technologies to meet key membership criteria, they will become eligible for Gold Partner status so as to access enhanced support, training, channel events, sales tools and rewards. At the top, we have Platinum partner program, under which our most valued partners who demonstrate superior business, technical skills and leadership in the development of innovative customer solutions based on Intel technologies will qualify to fit in this program.

With the new suggestive categories, how will you bifurcate your existing channel structure?
As of now, Intel has 8,000 active system builders across APAC. Under the new program Intel will add new resellers into the portfolio. Existing members of the Intel Channel Partner Program (ICPP) and the 2010 Intel Technology Provider (ITP) program will be automatically migrated to the new program membership levels. For eg, ICPP premier members will migrate to Platinum Partner status, ICPP associate members will become Gold Partners and ICPP Registered Members, while ITP Members will migrate to Registered partner status.