Tech Data’s SMARTattach Portal Expands Cisco Services Practice

Tech Data (TECD) is giving its Cisco Systems (CSCO) resellers another tool to increase sales with the SMARTattach Opportunity Portal, which enables partners to manage their service contract renewals of Cisco products sold in North and South America. The SMARTattach portal is available through Tech Data’s Advanced Infrastructure Solutions (AIS) division, as part of its Momentum partner enablement program with Cisco.

According to the distibutor, the SMARTattach portal will allow Cisco authorized resellers to effectively maintain their recurring revenue streams while gaining new opportunities for business via an auto-generated quoting system for warranty extension. Aside from giving VARs the ability to search for contract renewals within the system, SMARTattach also will display second-chance service opportunities so partners can take advantage of missed deals.

"The portal was created to drive stronger revenue and profits for our solution providers by maximizing their capture of the service renewal opportunities available across the Cisco product lines they sell,” said Angie Beltz, vice president, Product Marketing, Cisco Solutions Group at Tech Data, in a prepared statement. “This will increase solution providers' opportunity to practice optimization, offer expanded services to the end user and improve internal efficiencies."

Additionally, the SMARTattach system will give resellers complete visibility into Cisco service renewal and new opportunities across their installed user base, according to the press release. The platform serves as a Cisco product and service inventory management tool as well as a foundation for MaintenanceNet Inc.’s Service360 Auto Quote solution, which powers the new portal. MaintenanceNet Service 360 works to automate the creation and delivery of service renewal quotes for Tech Data’s resellers.

"Partners are harnessing the trend of cloud services by acting as consultants to their customers and leading with the value of service offerings over product resell," said John Richard, director, Americas Distribution Service Sales at Cisco. "With the advent of cloud computing and the many service opportunities in the marketplace, Tech Data's web portal is a partner enablement platform that automates and streamlines Cisco service renewal sales. This helps fuel and facilitate partners' services contract renewals while driving improved operational efficiencies."

According to Tech Data, the SMARTattach opportunity portal will help resellers to turn existing data into actionable sales information. By leveraging service quotes, which are automatically sent out to channel partners via email, the system allows for faster transactions when it comes to customers renewing their orders online quickly and easily.