Promoting New Opportunities: Sri Lankan Contingent participates at 2010 Intel Solutions Summit
May 18, 2010 05:21 pm
Intel recently concluded its largest annual Channel customer
conference for the Asia-Pacific region, attended by key channel partners from
The Sri Lankan contingent to the international forum consisted of Ramesh Umashankar, Naleem Farook, Shafraz Hamzadeen, Naushad Sheriff, Indika De Zoysa, Sumedha Fernando, Disney Fernando, Rajiv Shivshankar and Sanjeewa Pitawela.
Commenting on this year’s conference Indika de Zoysa, Country Business Manager, Intel EM Limited, Sri Lanka Liaison office said, “The Intel Solutions Summit provides our top resellers with insights into technologies and solutions, giving the reseller community an in-depth look at the trends that are driving the industry. The knowledge acquired by our partners via the forum will support business growth and development.”
Kamil Hasan, Director, Reseller Channel Organization, Intel Asia-Pacific, was one of the executives speaking at the APAC Intel Solutions Summit (ISS) where over 400 premier resellers attended to receive updates on cutting-edge technology, initiatives and obtain world-class training to help grow their business. “The Channel business is changing rapidly and is expanding from being primarily desktop-oriented. Intel’s objective is not only to help Channel partners lead with today’s products but also create new growth avenues. Our key focus areas therefore for 2010 are driving preference for the 2010 Intel® Core™ Processor Family; enhancing membership benefits to suit the needs of a changing market; and creating new Channel opportunities.”
The All New 2010 Intel Core Processor Family
Historically the Channel has led transitions of new technologies. The ramp of the 2010 Intel Core Processor Family has been no different, with the Channel in APAC ramping new Core rapidly. Hasan announced a slew of initiatives to continue driving preference for the same. These include an early booking program to prepare Channel ahead of ramp, special training to ensure simplified messages and related product promotions.
Membership
As a result of the evolution of the Channel over the years, Hasan described the need to re-structure membership programs: “Previously all customers were primarily focused on the white box and built-to-order PCs. However with the Channel evolving to support many devices beyond the desktop, we need to rethink how we can support our customers better in these new areas,” he stated.
As a result Intel’s channel program will now work on enhancing not only existing benefits, but also aim to include membership program benefits for customers’ businesses beyond just the integration business, taking into account new needs.
New Opportunities for the Channel
Steve Dallman, Intel VP of Sales and Marketing Group and General Manager of the Worldwide Reseller Channel Organization spoke about how channel partners could leverage the business opportunity offered by small and medium businesses (SMB).
“87% of the APAC Channel already sells to SMBs*. We expect that the SMB hardware spend for 2010 will offer a significant opportunity which our partners can leverage,” said Dallman.
Hasan talked about how personal computing is expanding beyond the PC to nearly every kind of electronic device, transforming Intel and the industry in the process.
“Computing is no longer confined to your computer – it’s everywhere,” Hasan said.
“Embedded devices have allowed computing to move into new areas which in turn mean new opportunities for the Channel.” As a result, computing is being integrated into every relevant aspect of people’s lives, he said, whether they are on their computer or smartphone, watching TV, in the car or out shopping.
Servers were the last area outlined by Hasan. 2009 saw Intel working closely with the ecosystems and undertaking numerous initiatives such as improved supply chain, increasing Channel competitiveness and enhancing go to market. These have yielded strong results where Channel has consistently grown faster than the market. For 2010 Intel will work to accelerate this progress by increasing Channel competitiveness in the services and solutions space, focus on SMEs as a business opportunity and continue winning technology transitions.
About the Intel Channel: Intel first established a reseller Channel sales organization more than a decade ago to focus on the needs of our worldwide network of distributors, resellers, dealers, retailers and local integrators. This drove dramatic sales increases and the reseller Channel now accounts between 20 to 30 percent of all Intel processor unit sales, selling products through a network of more than 255 distributors with 1,100 warehouse locations to a broad organization of 225,000 members in 165 countries. In aggregate, the Channel is Intel’s largest customer and represents a powerful Intel strategic advantage.
About Intel Solutions Summit: ISS provides Intel’s Channel community with access to key marketing and business strategies, leadership, and information regarding specific customer solutions designed to help partners succeed in the marketplace. Along with informative learning opportunities, ISS is an ideal setting for partners to garner valuable knowledge from their peers and from Intel. Valuable programs include keynotes, the product and solution showcase, the annual Channel awards, education sessions and networking opportunities. More information can be found at https://Channeleventsponsors.intel.com/issapac/index
About Intel: Intel (NASDAQ: INTC), the world leader in silicon innovation, develops technologies, products and initiatives to continually advance how people work and live. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom and blogs.intel.com
Photo caption: The Sri Lankan participants at the forum (from left) Ramesh Umashankar, Naleem Farook, Shafraz Hamzadeen, Naushad Sheriff, Indika De Zoysa, Sumedha Fernando, Disney Fernando, Rajiv Shivshankar, Sanjeewa Pitawela
