CSCO: Cisco to Address Growing Demand for Highly Sophisticated Unified Communications Capabilities with Master Specialization

To help its channel partners evolve their capabilities to meet the growing global demand for highly sophisticated, applications-based unified communications solutions, Cisco Systems® today announced its second Master Specialization, Master Unified Communications. Master Specialization is a new brand that represents the highest level of Cisco channel partner specialization and depth of expertise. The Cisco Master Unified Communications Specialization will help channel partners address the strategic communications needs of today's most sophisticated customers, while offering channel partners further opportunities for competitive differentiation, revenue growth and economic incentives.

"The communications industry is undergoing a dramatic transition as customers embrace mobility, presence and video applications to drive organizational productivity and competitive advantage," said Edison Peres, vice president and chief go-to-market officer for Worldwide Channels at Cisco. "To help turn the promise of unified communications into a strategic advantage, customers are demanding an enhanced set of skills and capabilities from channel partners. The Master Unified Communications Specialization enables, validates and rewards our channel partners for developing solution centric practices around unified communications."

Available immediately to qualified Cisco channel partners around the world, the Master Unified Communications Specialization targets an elite group of channel partners who have the most in-depth technology skills and proven track record of customer success in selling, deploying and supporting sophisticated Cisco Unified Communication solutions.

"These master specializations represent a seal-of-approval around key Cisco solutions that provide value for both the channel partner and the end customer," said Ken Presti, a technology go-to-market strategist and founder of Presti Research & Consulting, Inc. "The incorporation of lifecycle services and customer references is a key underpinning of the value proposition. Customers can use Cisco's specialization and certification levels to help them select channel partners best suited to their specific needs; whereas channel partners can use them as a guide to evolving their own business models in concert with industry changes.

Channel partners have played a strategic role in growing Cisco into the global leader in the business voice market. There are more than 1,600 Cisco Unified Communications Specialized channel partners around the globe who sell, deploy and support more than 90 percent of Cisco Unified Communications systems in the market today.

Master-Level Capabilities and Proven Customer Success
The Master Unified Communications Specialization offers channel partners the greatest differentiation and branding opportunities along with the highest Value Incentive Program (VIP) rebate. To achieve the Master Unified Communications Specialization, partners must first attain the Advanced Unified Communications Specialization. Channel partners must then meet a series of stringent requirements in three areas:

Technology Capabilities: Partner must possess a number of Cisco and industry-standard technical certification requirements, including a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) in voice and a Project Management Certification (PMI or Prince 2). They must also have a Cisco Advanced Technology Provider (ATP) designation in Unified Contact Center Enterprise (UCCE) or Rich-Media Communications (Enterprise).

Lifecycle Services Offering: Partner must demonstrate the infrastructure to support a full menu of Lifecycle Service offerings and capabilities (prepare, plan, design, implement, operate and optimize) with emphasis on Day 2 support and optimization services. Partners must pass an audit on the Operate Phase of the Cisco Lifecycle Services methodology.

Sales Expertise: Partners are evaluated on their ability to assess their customer's business requirements and map a sophisticated, application rich Cisco Unified Communications solution to business needs. These skills are assessed via the partner's demonstration capabilities and proven track record of five customer references, which must include the integration of multiple Unified Communications solutions in combination.

Channel partners with a highly qualified Unified Communications practice can achieve a Master Specialization, regardless of Cisco Certification level. To protect the integrity and value of the Master Specialization, Cisco requires an annual onsite audit. Cisco now offers Master Specialization in Security and Unified Communications technologies.

Cisco Channel Partner Program
The Master Specialization is a key component of the enhanced Cisco Channel Partner Program, which was launched earlier this year at the Cisco Partner Summit. The program recognizes channel partners for their breadth of capability across key technologies, their depth of skills in particular technology, or both. Cisco Gold, Silver and Premier Certifications represent a channel partner's ability to deliver integrated networking solutions. Cisco Specializations represent a channel partner's technology skills depth. Cisco offers three specialization levels to address the full spectrum of customer needs - Express, Advanced, Master - where a channel partner must demonstrate greater sales, technical, and service capabilities at each level.