Intel Inspires

The highlight of the fifth Intel Solutions Summit (ISS) held on 12th April,
2002 at Shanghai, was the awards function held at a gala dinner.

Intel’s ‘Premier Provider Marketing Award’ was bagged by India’s
Ockam Infotech for outstanding efforts in marketing and awareness activities in
2001. Partners were entertained by Oriental singers and young gymnasts whose
feats made everyone hold their collective breaths.

At the conference Intel urged partners to focus more on web services.
According to the company, this segment is expected to witness a growth of 49
percent during 2001-06.

Michael Splinter, Executive VP and Director, Sales and Marketing Group, Intel
Corporation said, "PC unit sales sank for the first time in five years
since 1985 by 40 percent. Of the total Intel business, over 65 per cent came
from the channel."

Channels did well in SMB, government and education segments because these
were less impacted by the economic slowdown than the corporate segment. In
addition to this, Internet continued to be the growth driver.

NOTEBOOKS LEAD THE WAY

Intel’s channel roadmap for 2002 talks will see innovation of
solutions-based offerings and strengthening the concept store retail program.
According to Intel’s APAC notebook forecast, the home market will grow from
600 million units in 2000 to 1600 million units by 2005 in this region. This
underlines the great business opportunity that notebooks offer to the channel.

Intel recently launched the ‘Build your own notebook/server" program
for channels and is expanding its network to more B and C-class cities.

It will offer specialized training for notebook assemblers under this
program. It will also help in match-making between Taiwanese chassis
manufacturers and notebook assemblers to bring down the notebook prices.

Similarly, Intel will bring about match-making between software providers and
the channel involved in building server blocks. It will try to correct the
customer perception that while buying servers, one must go for an established
brand instead of local GID brands.

Last year, Intel announced that Intel dealers could use the ‘Intel Inside’
logo in print advertising and on company web sites. However, the ‘Intel Inside’
logo program will be restricted only for desktops and not for servers.

CHANNEL CO-OP PROGRAM

Intel has expanded its channel co-op-advertising program for its APAC dealer
network to include reimbursement for alternative marketing vehicles that include
billboards, cinema and direct mailers, as well as broadcast (television and
radio) advertising.

The program expansion enables the channel to reach customers through new and
emerging communication and advertising vehicles.

By the second half of 2002, Intel also plans to double the number of dealers
participating in the program.

Intel made sure that the trip was not all work and no play. It gave partners
a glimpse of Shanghai night-life by taking them to the Xin Tian Di street which
is known for its plethora of pubs and water-holes.

It was hardly a wonder that at the end of the day, one could see partners
waiting excitedly for the next ISS summit.