Samsung invests into European channel plan

Resellers to get training, product demonstrations and business development funds

Samsung has invested over $15m into a new pan-European channel programme, which it has claimed will strengthen its reseller relationships.

Launched last week, the Power Partner Programme will provide resellers with the tools to aid sales of Samsung business products, including training, product demonstrations and business development funds. It will also incorporate Samsung’s existing UK partner programme, Elect IT.

Neil Berville, director of Samsung Electronics IT division, said: “Power Partner is being driven as a European programme and we will wrap Elect IT into it.

“Following last week’s London roadshows to launch the new scheme, we will be holding similar events in Paris, Italy, Spain and Germany.”

Berville claimed the new scheme demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to driving business through the channel. “The Power Partner Programme is more than just a channel programme – it encompasses all aspects of our sales and marketing approach and, most importantly, is aimed at generating new business opportunities for the channel.”

The new programme does not have tiers, Berville said. “We want to gear how we work with a reseller to how they work, rather than pigeon-hole them into a grouping or tier. It’s much more about what they want to do and we’ll aim to support it accordingly.”

Samsung trades with more than 5,000 resellers in the UK, but would like to get between 300 and 400 more resellers on board. “However, we are not setting ourselves a time limit to do this,” said Berville.

He added: “Education is a strong sector for us already, so this is one vertical we are fixed on. We’ll also take some feedback from resellers as to what other verticals we should concentrate on. Possibly the finance and insurance sector, and retail.”

David Gould, trading director of PC World Business (PCWB), said: “PCWB has an excellent relationship with Samsung. It’s great to see a structured approach from a manufacturer such as Samsung, which genuinely wants to work more effectively with ourselves and the channel to grow its business.”