Lenovo entices partners with tailored partner journeys
The five new partner journeys in its Lenovo 360 Global Partner Framework are expected to provide flexible and scalable revenue opportunities for partners focused on managed services, global systems integrators, AI, data management, and education.
For technology partners, knowledge and expertise in products and services offered by specific vendors are key when engaging with customers. Businesses expect partners to provide them with the guidance needed, especially when it comes to investing and adopting new technologies like generative AI in their business.
For Lenovo, providing partners with sufficient knowledge and understanding not only helps them showcase the capabilities of their products and solutions, but reach out to the right customers and understand their pain points in their digital journey. This enables Lenovo to also have an ecosystem with its partner network in delivering products and services.
In 2022, Lenovo introduced Lenovo 360, an end-to-end global channel framework that has simplified partner incentive programs by 63%. Lenovo has also launched a new comprehensive partner solutions enablement platform. Apart from that, Lenovo issued more than 39,500 individual certifications and more than 10,000 partner-level accreditations through its partner education program tied to incentive tiering.
Now, Lenovo has revealed that another five tailored journeys within its Lenovo 360 Global Partner Framework to serve customized and specific pathways for partners focused on key industry segments, technology solutions, and routes to market. The five tailored journeys are Lenovo 360 for Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Lenovo 360 for Global Systems Integrators (GSIs), Lenovo 360 for AI, Lenovo 360 for Data Management, and Lenovo 360 for Education.
According to Pascal Bourguet, Vice President, and Global Channel Chief, Lenovo, Lenovo 360 provides partners with the tools and training needed to meet customer demand and stay ahead of technological advancements in these dynamic segments. This is imperative especially with industries increasingly turning to AI-driven solutions, flexible data management, and cloud services.
The unveiling of these five journeys is the first in a series of topics to further streamline partner access to sell across Lenovo’s portfolio of devices, infrastructure, services, and solutions. With new comprehensive pathways, Lenovo 360 now demonstrates its flexibility and customization for partners in these high-growth areas.
According to a statement by Lenovo, each journey incorporates five key offerings across the framework. They include digital platforms that over resources partners need to succeed, such as sales enablement, marketing, and communications tools found on Lenovo Partner Hub. Also offered through the framework is training that sets learning paths, certifications, and accreditations that empower both individuals and partner organizations to grow in expertise.
Apart from that, there will also be incentives through reward programs and financial structures that offer increasing benefits as partners grow within the Lenovo 360 framework. For the partner community, there will be forums, advisory boards, and events that foster collaboration and sharing of best practices among partners and Lenovo experts.
Lastly, Lenovo will be streamlining its marketing process by offering ready-to-use collateral and assets to help partners promote their products, solutions, and services to their customers. Each journey will also include channel-ready devices, infrastructure solutions, and service elements.
“We are focusing our efforts initially in these high-growth areas and will continue to bring additional pathways to new verticals, technologies, and routes to market over time,” added Bourguet.
Lenovo 360 for GSIs, Lenovo 360 for AI, Lenovo 360 for Data Management, and Lenovo 360 for Education will be available to partners globally by April 2025 on Lenovo Partner Hub. Managed Service Providers can take advantage of Lenovo 360 for MSPs today in Canada, USA, Brazil, Mexico, UKI, Japan, India, and Australia where the pathway has been made available this year.
In addition to the tailored journeys, Lenovo also plans to unveil an array of new and updated tools and features for partners in Lenovo 360 in the coming months. Among the updates included the ability for partners to personalize their newsletter preferences for content and frequency via the new Lenovo 360 Communications Center. The service is expected to have full channel availability by March 2025 with rollout already beginning across select markets.
At the same time, the Lenovo 360 Marketing Center will provide partners with a comprehensive content creation platform led by digital self-service to easily customize campaigns and sales assets by audience, available globally by March 2025. There will also be learn and earn opportunities for managed tier partners which will be further streamlined over the next six months, with easy-to-follow criteria across programs, simplification of program qualifications, and reduced complexity between elements.
Currently available at 35 markets, the Lenovo 360 Solutions Hub is also be expanded to 47 markets by February 2025, with more than 50 channel-ready solutions supported across eight languages of English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese.