''We train our partners to make the best Opteron servers using our platforms and ecosystem''

Haresh Bharia is floating a host of promotional activities for AMD's
channel partners across the country. His chief aim is to target the SMB segment
with the Opteron range of servers, and he intends to do this by partnering with
even small channel players in the upcountry cities.

How has the response been to your Authentic AMD Associates (AAA) program?
What kind of channel initiatives you are planning?

The AAA program, which we launched four months ago, has been a huge success
with our 1,800 channel partners registered across 125 cities. We have also
launched our 'Buy and Fly' program for these registered resellers. Under the
program, the AAA resellers who buy a minimum number of Sempron processors will
have a chance to fly to Dubai.

Haresh Bharia

We also plan to categorize our partners in the coming quarters. This
categorization will be based on both quantity and quality of sales they bring
for us. The partners will be rated according to their performance and buying
patterns and will be entitled to various benefits accordingly. We are in the
process of finalizing a lot of programs useful to our channel partners.

What is going to be your focus area for the coming quarter?

We are betting big on the Opteron server solution that we recently launched.
For the Opteron 64-bit service solution, AMD is partnering with Tyan, a
Taiwan-based server motherboard manufacturing company, to bundle its products
with our

processors.

We are currently running a four-city training program for our 125 SI partners
to train them to make the best optimum servers using the AMD platform and
ecosystem. We train them not only to build the best capacity servers but also
are making them aware of the advantages of 64 bit computing servers and help
them create a pull in the consumer market.

What are the other partner support activities AMD has in store?

Training, of course, is the first step. Other than that, we are providing
various demo boxes at special price points to our partners so that they can
demonstrate the technology well to their customers. We are also providing
service call support to our partners. The upcoming JFM quarter has a lot of
demand generation marketing activities in store for our partners.

There is our Features Advantages and Benefits (FAB) program, wherein we train
our partners not only on the technical front but also the sales technique. AMD
is also looking at moving its partners up the value chain. We are venturing at
investing in kiosks and partner retail outlets to enhance our visibility.

Which customer segments AMD is currently focusing at?

The SMB boom is definitely high in the country and going by the festive
season, we also have planned various initiatives for the SMB customers. We are
coming up with a host of entry level products in the Opteron range in the next
quarter, especially for the SMB market.

AMD is looking to further grow its presence in the SOHO and SMB segments with
its new range. Other verticals, like the government and education segments, are
also high up on our agenda.

With the OEM and branded PC market booming, do you see any opportunities
in the white box space? If yes, then what are the channel initiatives you are
planning for white box partners?

The OEM marketshare may be increasing, but it is a part of the growing
Indian PC market. No matter what, the white box market is still going to occupy
a major share of the pie for years to come. AMD as a company has always
leveraged on its partner strength.

Going by the upsell generated in the upcountry market, we have penetrated our
reach to smaller cities like Junagarh and Mehsana. The volumes from these kind
of cities may not be very high as yet, but they present exciting opportunities
for us in the white box space.

AMD is also exploring possibilities of partnering with other vendors for
conducting product-training sessions for partners in these smaller cities.

KUSUM MAKHIJA