Zebra Technologies has a new specialization for resellers serving SMBs in North America. Developed as a strategic component of the Zebra PartnerConnect Program, the new SMB Specialization Program recognizes the challenges small and medium-size companies face in today’s economy. The aim is to provide resellers with the tools they need to help SMBs successfully incorporate new technologies. 

Bill Cate is VP of marketing and global channel strategy at Zebra Technologies.

Zebra’s Bill Cate

“SMB customers face the same challenges that large customers face,” said Cate. “The key is that you have to approach them in a very different way. Their buying processes are shorter, less complicated. Fewer decision makers involved. There is often less protocol, so the type of information we need to provide to them is different. Enterprise customers have a better understanding of their needs. Why? Because they have more time, resources and processes to focus on them. I think the world is laced with companies that have failed trying to go after the SMB space because they think it’s just another set of customers. But it’s very different. That’s what we’re aiming for here.”

Zebra designed the two-tiered program for resellers across all industries with proven results selling the company‘s portfolio to SMBs. These solutions include mobile computing, printing and scanning products. Qualifying resellers will have access to business-building benefits such as pre-qualified leads, market development funds, go-to-market support and growth incentives.

SMB Growing Pains

“Our new specialization program reflects Zebra’s dedication and commitment to supporting small and growing companies, who often struggle with complexity in the face of rapid digitalization and change,” said Cate. “We believe our SMB specialists can help this underserved market cut through this complexity and adopt the latest technologies, just like their larger competitors, to achieve new levels of productivity, accuracy and speed.”

Zebra’s SMB Specialization Program enables PartnerConnect partners to compete more effectively in the SMB market. It also extends the same functionality and features of Zebra’s solutions to smaller businesses. The company also designed the program to provide its partners with the marketing support and advantages they need to build a strong pipeline and close deals.

“Our strategy is to leverage and develop a successful SMB-focused channel,” said Cate. “I think the operative word here is SMB-focused, though. We’re not here to try to train partners to sell into the SMB space. We have reached out and identified partners who are already doing it, and they know how to do it well. And then we are working with them with a good strong business proposition and a set of messages to take our products into specific use cases to sell into the SMB space. That’s why we’ve decided to pilot this initiative.”

Key Takeaways