India as a Fast Growing Market is Important for Business Growth

What is the strength of channel partners of Zebra Technologies?

Ryan – We have globally 10,000 channel partners. Our channel partners range from resellers to SIs and ISVs. Our company is completely channel based and channel partners are very important for us.

Subbu – In India we have been operational with channel partners since 1996. In India we have 800 active resellers partners. The bulk of the business is around 50 to 60 partners. Top 10 partners drive about 60% of the business. We have been present in India for more than 25 years.

Are they spread mostly in tier 1 cities or are they spread across tier 1, 2 and 3 cities?

Subbu – Large partners are mostly in tier 1 while smaller partners are in tier 2 and 3 cities.

What about your channel partner strategy in different markets?

Subbu – Channel partner strategy is driven globally for us. Our SOPs, how to bring in a partner, how to train a partner, all these are centrally decided. When it comes to India, a little physical handling is required. For example, training, meeting them etc. Channel partners are well handled. We are a channel driven company. We work with end customers for business development. But our 100% business is flowing through the channel network.

Meeting end customers is the same everywhere. It involves building relationships, discussing what they can bring to the table etc. But the business is done through channel partners.

Ryan – We discuss the use cases with the end customers so that we can understand how our channel partners can work better and how we can help the channel partners better.

What is your strategy for expanding to tier 2 and 3 cities across India?

Subbu – It’s already happening. Because manufacturing is growing in India, quick commerce is expanding to tier and 3 cities.

With the increase of AI, how do you help the partners to keep themselves upgraded with the evolving AI?

Ryan – AI can help the partners in translation and interpretation. We had a big show in January where we demonstrated how AI can help the partners to communicate better with customers, to give analytics so that customers can be better served. Our aim is to regularly train our partners with the use cases of AI so that they can be better equipped to serve the clients.

How much manufacturing does Zebra do in India?

Subbu – We are making use of the Make in India programme and manufacturing for the government clients. Zebra designs the products and we use some manufacturing contractors. Some of our manufacturers are present here, but our manufacturing facilities are spread across the world in Vietnam, Mexico, Malaysia, China etc.

How do you train your partners to keep in pace with the emerging and evolving techs?

Ryan – We have facilities in Bangalore and Pune where we innovate programmes to equip our partners with the evolving technology. We also give them insights to understand the strategies of our competitors.

India is a very important market for us as it is growing fast.

Subbu – The middle class is growing in India, manufacturing is growing. Indian market has great potential and we value this market highly.

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