When customers hire a solution provider to manage their network, they want proactive service to ensure availability at reasonable cost. If a business-critical piece of equipment such as a Cisco router or switch fails, they expect it to be covered by a maintenance contact. When their contracts are due to expire, they want to be notified in advance to ensure continuous coverage. If coverage slips, it could be costly for both customer and solution provider.

Providing such proactive service just got easier, thanks to the new Cisco Online Quoting Tool at Ingram Micro's Reseller Services Portal (RSP). This free online module enables solution providers to manage new and renewal SMARTnet contracts automatically and to receive real-time pricing on Cisco service orders through Ingram Micro in minutes.

Better Customer Service
Solution providers who have used the tool can attest to its power. Shelly Wanserski of Agosto, a Cisco-focused managed services provider, uses the RSP to track and manage Cisco SMARTnet service contracts for more than 150 customers. After opting in to e-mail notifications on the RSP, Wanserski receives regular notifications of all contracts due to expire within 30, 60 or 90 days. She then uses Cisco Online Quoting to receive SMARTnet renewal quotes and sends them to Agosto’s account managers for presentation to customers.

"The Cisco functionality in the RSP makes our internal account management more efficient and cost-effective," Wanserski says. "The proactive approach helps improve our customer relationships as well. Customers are assured that their equipment is covered by a service contract, and the efficiency of the process helps us align more closely with them. And the contract renewal process often leads to additional solution sales."

Our Partners

"Securing real-time pricing and developing competitive quotes can be a time-consuming process," says Justin Crotty, vice president, services, Ingram Micro North America. "With the introduction of the new Cisco Online Quoting Tool, solution providers can build competitive and accurate quotes in record time. It's a great way for our partners to reduce costs and increase service response times and revenues without having to invest in additional software tools or resources."

Getting Up to Speed
To help solution providers get up to speed, Ingram Micro offers monthly WebEx training sessions on the RSP and the Online Quoting Tool. These training opportunities guide users through features and options to speed time-to-value in using the RSP.

For More Information
WebEx training sessions available in June: Wednesday, June 20 and June 27, both at 10 am PST. To receive your password for the Reseller Services Portal, or to register for a training session, please visit www.ingrammicro.com/resellerservicesportal.