Challenges

According to Nye McCarty, Central Telephone’s general manager, the biggest challenge selling NEC solutions in this market is generating and maintaining customer awareness of what products are available, what they can do and how they can help businesses perform more efficiently and cost-effectively. Recently, NEC held a promotion designed to motivate customers to upgrade from the UNIVERGE SV8100 to the SV9100. Central Telephone needed a good way to inform customers about the promotion and educate them about the benefits of an upgrade.

Solution

As part of its multifaceted partner program, NEC provides access to its Channel Digital Marketing portal, an easy-to-use, web-based tool that is an integral part of ZINFI’s suite of Unified Channel Management (UCM) software. Organizations like NEC that market and sell solutions through a network of channel partners deploy ZINFI’s end-to-end channel management automation tools to streamline channel marketing activities and help partners market and sell to their target audience more efficiently. NEC’s partners use the portal to find relevant co-brandable content and campaigns to generate leads and close sales. Along with its comprehensive set of channel marketing automation tools, ZINFI offers a concierge service that partners can turn to when they require help getting acquainted with the partner portal. McCarty says that “once we got things set up and rolling—with the help of the concierge—it was really easy to use.” During NEC’s SV9100 upgrade promotion, Central Telephone was able to quickly find and download a print-quality brochure directly related to the promotion, co-brand it, send it to current customers and follow up with a highly targeted telephone campaign. “It helped keep our name in front of the customer and keep NEC in front of the customer while we were also calling them,” says McCarty. “It worked really well while that promotion was on.”

Results

According to McCarty, Central Telephone was able to sell “quite a few” NEC system upgrades during the promotion, and the portal played a key role. He is excited about the potential of the partner portal for future initiatives. “Once it is built, it is ready to go.” Going forward, McCarty would like each of his team members to use the portal to assemble product-specific marketing and sales assets to mail to customers and prospects on a monthly basis. He is currently working with ZINFI and NEC to identify and access the most current and relevant content for Central Telephone’s customer base.

About Central Telephone Sales and Service

Since 1979 Central Telephone Sales and Service has provided Minneapolis, St. Paul and the metro area with the latest in telecommunications technologies. More than just offering cutting-edge technology, we pride ourselves on our fast, reliable service. Because today’s business culture demands that we be connected round the clock, we design, maintain and install telephone systems (we specialize in NEC and Star2Star systems) and build customized solutions for unified messaging, allowing your business to stay online 24/7. Whether you need a digital or VoIP system, hosted on-premise or in the cloud, we can help. With an extensive on-site inventory of parts and equipment, our expert technicians are able to service, repair, upgrade and relocate existing telephone systems, too. We also provide cable infrastructure for both voice and data networks. Visit us at https://www.centraltelephone.com.

About ZINFI Technologies

ZINFI Technologies, the leader in Unified Channel Management (UCM) innovation, enables vendors and their channel partners to achieve profitable growth predictably and rapidly on a worldwide level. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, USA and founded by channel veterans with extensive global channel management experience, we at ZINFI see an immense opportunity to build high-performing sales channels by deploying an easy-to-use, comprehensive and innovative state-of-the-art SaaS Unified Channel Management automation platform that streamlines and manages the entire partner lifecycle through three core state-of-the-art SaaS applications—partner relationship management, channel marketing management and channel sales management. In 26 countries, these three core UCM SaaS applications are locally supported by ZINFI’s global marketing services team members.

About NEC Corporation of America

NEC Corporation of America (NEC) is a leading technology integrator providing solutions that improve the way people work and communicate. NEC delivers integrated Solutions for Society that are aligned with our customers’ priorities to create new value for people, businesses and society, with a special focus on safety, security and efficiency. We deliver one of the industry’s strongest and most innovative portfolios of communications, analytics, security, biometrics and technology solutions that unleash customers’ productivity potential. Through these solutions, NEC combines its best-in-class solutions and technology, and leverages a robust partner ecosystem to solve today’s most complex business problems. NEC Corporation of America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a global technology leader with a presence in 160 countries and $25 billion in revenues. For more information, please visit www.necam.com.