Logitech Collaboration Program Adds 15 Technology Partners

**Editor’s Note: Click here for a list of May’s important channel-program changes you should know.**

The Logitech Collaboration Program (LCP) has added 15 new technology partners, including a number of well-known video collaboration providers.

The enhanced program includes cloud video-conferencing partner and complementary technology-partner tracks; and two tiers: premier partner and integration partner. It offers access to the Logitech Software Reference Kit, which provides APIs to integrate Windows, Mac OS X and Linux apps with Logitech audio and video devices.

LCP members also can take advantage of joint marketing and sales programs, as well as new distribution opportunities.

Joan Vandermate, head of marketing for the Logitech Video Collaboration Group, tells Channel Partners that the company remains No. 1 globally in webcams and has “quietly” taken over the No. 1 spot for conference-room video systems.

“The response (to LCP) has been really overwhelming,” she said. “I only joined Logitech five months ago and was the vice president of marketing at Vidyo, which was the first company to join the program. What we’ve heard from our LCP partners … is that they want to do deeper integrations, more technical integrations. The other feedback that we’ve gotten from those partners is they want a deeper business relationship. What we’re seeing from partners … is they really want to have a joint go-to-market … so we’re going to be doing a lot of co-marketing and joint go-to-market.”{ad}

New integration partners in the cloud video-conferencing track include CounterPath, FreeConferenceCall.com, Fuze, StarLeaf, V-CUBE and VSee. C2G, a premier partner in the complementary technology track, is now joined by Intel. Also joining the complementary technology track are Clary Icon, HD Partners, Iluminari, InFocus, mEdge, Media Network Services (mns.vc), Pexip and SMART Technologies.

In addition to Vidyo, inaugural members include video-conferencing providers BlueJeans, BroadSoft, Lifesize and Zoom, all of whom are premier partners in the cloud video conferencing track.

Strategic alliance partners include Skype for Business, Cisco Compatible (WebEx and Jabber) and Google (Chromebox).

Using a broad array of services ranging from cloud video services to meeting room tools, the program helps third-party software and hardware companies to integrate and optimize product functionality with Logitech products and ensure creation of video services that are easy to use and deploy, the company said.

The traditional IT AV buyer in a corporation is used to buying a “single solution from a vendor who might have been Polycom or Cisco, and all the piece parts, software and services all come from a single vendor,” Vandermate said. “By joining this program and doing at least the standard-level of integrations if not some of the more extensive integrations, (partners) can say to the customer, ‘We have tested and Logitech has certified [that] their stuff works with our client software,’” she added.