Network-equipment manufacturer NETGEAR wants you to know it’s much more than just the routers it’s probably best known for. The company has upgraded its partner program to make it more profitable, and easier to sell and support its product lines.

The NETGEAR Solution Partner (NSP) program includes three tiers: NSP Basic, Platinum and Platinum+. Each includes benefits based on the partner’s increased investment and commitment to the company’s products.

Renee Meisenbach, director of worldwide channel marketing for NETGEAR’s Commercial Business Unit, tells Channel Partners that partner input was “invaluable to ensure we designed a program that fits the modern needs of our reseller community.”

“We have a wide variety of scalable products from switching to storage, wireless and cloud services,” she said. “We currently have about 40,000 reseller partners and approximately 900 partners in our new Solution Providers Partner program, and our goal is to ensure we have the best partner selection to position and resell our product portfolio.”

In the United States, NETGEAR is introducing a new NSP Specialist level as part of the Platinum+ tier that offers higher rebates and marketing development funds to select providers focused on market segments such as education and hospitality.

The program includes new discounts and incentives, new lead-generation and sales-support services, revamped training programs and unified program management across regions, in addition to a new online portal.

“Partners indicated that, in addition to rebates, they really valued online sales and marketing toolkits that help them position our products in a variety of vertical markets and in solution design,” Meisenbach said. “Additionally, the inclusion of business planning was key so we put in that tighter link with NETGEAR sales and our partners.”

NETGEAR initially is rolling out the new NSP program within the U.S., France, Germany, the U.K. and the Benelux countries. It will expand to additional EMEA countries in the future.

All NETGEAR VARs are eligible for the entry level tier of the NSP program, Basic, which offers a range of benefits, training, sales and marketing assistance, and pre-and post-sales support to help increase reseller profitability and make the company’s products among the easiest to sell in the industry.

“Our NETGEAR Solution Provider Partners are essential in the growth of our Commercial Business Unit,” Meisenbach said. “We invest heavily in our partner benefits with deal registration, rebates, creation of many sales tools, site surveys training and exceptional support services. We need to ensure that our … partners have everything they need to increase their sales and attract new customers. Our partnership is well positioned to propel our sales through (the program).”

NETGEAR products are sold in about 44,000 retail locations globally and through about 33,000 VARs.