IN THIS ARTICLE
WiFi PARTNERS
Strong partnerships between technology vendors have long been a valued and integral part of the industry, and they are on the rise. But exactly why is that? In our view, these partnerships can benefit everyone through shared knowledge and collaboration to overcome challenges and achieve better results for everyone: end users, resellers, and, yes, vendors like us. But what does that mean in practice? And what makes a great partnership?
To find out more, we spoke to a selection of our wonderful worldwide NETGEAR Business WiFi partners: GoZoneWiFi, Hamina Wireless, JAZE Networks, Origin Acoustics, and Yagna iQ Inc. (scroll down to learn more about these fantastic firms).
PEOPLE MATTER
One of the stand-out points they shared was the value of people in the equation. Joe Whitaker, VP Commercial, says at Origin Acoustics: “People matter as much as products. When we evaluate new partners, we ask ourselves, can we work with these people? Does their company culture fit? What will our customers think of them?”
Availability and communications are also critical. “For instance, I can contact senior people in NETGEAR, and they are actually available to speak to me,” continues Joe. “That’s not typical of every vendor. And if I have an issue, I can get an answer extremely fast – it’s 100 percent the fastest turnaround time I’ve experienced, 24 hours a day.”
Jussi Kiviniemi, CEO of Hamina Wireless, adds, “There are two aspects to a successful partnership. The first is that it must be mutually beneficial; the second is that life is too short not to enjoy working with people, and that includes partners. So, we make sure we work with organizations that share our values and are committed to working with us and serving our customers. Get those elements in place, the word spreads, and good things will happen.”
Alexander Jordan (“AJ”), Director of Strategic Partnerships at GoZoneWiFi, also agrees about the human aspect of partnerships. “What makes a great partner is one that supports open communication and dialog with us. So when a problem arises, we collaborate to solve that issue, working as a team, rather than one side just saying, ‘That’s not our fault.’
Neha Sharma is the VP of Marketing at Domotz. In her experience, she says, “A good vendor partnership is built on mutual alignment and a shared commitment to deliver value to customers. A successful partnership also involves ongoing collaboration to continuously seek ways to innovate and address evolving customer needs, ultimately improving outcomes for resellers, vendors, and customers.”
Patrick Johnston, Vice President Worldwide Sales, Yagna iQ, Inc. and subsidiaries shares his extensive industry experience. “What I look for in a partner is loyalty. Even if they offer competitive products, I want them to invest time in understanding mine and be open with back-and-forth communications about what is (or is not) working.”
ACCESS TO A HOLISTIC SET OF SOLUTIONS
Of course, while people and culture are very important, so is having access to the right technology. In turn, this gives end users and resellers more options while helping vendors open up new opportunities and markets. Patrick Johnston, Yagna iQ. Inc., continues his thoughts: “I’m a big fan of partnerships because you are never going to have the reach without the right partners, and in turn, that gives your channel partners more choice.”
“Technology partners can work together to help our channel partners translate customer requirements into product solutions that make a difference. Customers aren’t interested in technology; they want something that provides tangible value. No one can come up with all the ideas on their own. Having the right partnerships helps vendors stay relevant, serve channel partners and — in turn — end users.”
Partnerships create access to best-of-breed technologies,” explains Jeyanthan Hariharan, Founder and CEO at JAZE Networks. “ The customer should be able to have a holistic solution that meets all their requirements, as integrated solutions and a win-win situation for everyone involved. That’s how we work with NETGEAR.”
Neha Sharma from Domotz contributes that “Collaborating with other vendors allows us to integrate seamlessly with complementary tools, enhancing the experience for IT teams, managing increasingly diverse and distributed networks. Resellers gain reliable, comprehensive solutions they can confidently recommend to clients. Ultimately, end users benefit the most, as these partnerships ensure integrated, high-quality products that reduce disruption.”
GoZoneWiFi’s AJ adds, “It’s important how we work together to reach new audiences and serve end users. When you have strong partners, you are better equipped to help customers meet their needs. For instance, we are helping NETGEAR enter new vertical markets, and, in turn, they are introducing us to a wider community. Also, if we solve an issue for one customer, then we are solving it for many others in the future.”
MOVING FORWARD AND FUTURE FACING
We are familiar with the speed at which the technology industry changes, and for our panel of expert commentators, addressing this is another attribute of a successful partnership. Joe Whitaker at Origin Acoustics: “Agility is important because technology changes so fast. Some companies get stuck in the same-old same-old, but it’s really important to always look at innovations. NETGEAR is open to ideas from us, and together, we are not afraid to challenge the status quo and keep moving forward.”
GoZoneWiFi’s AJ adds, “Technology is moving so fast that partnerships are a necessity for us all to keep moving at the same pace. Companies that don’t do that risk being left behind, and their customers could also lose out. We all succeed when we have a collective mindset and work together to continue to advance.”
Jussi at Hamina Wireless provides the perfect conclusion. “There’s no other way: without great partnerships, we could not provide the tools and services we all do today. These are integral to everyone’s success, including that of our customers.”
OUR PARTNERS EXPLAINED
Domotz empowers IT teams to confidently maintain control of their networks with full-context visibility, revealing every asset and property to eliminate blind spots that lead to unexpected issues and outages. Equipped with a suite of management tools, Domotz enables teams to exceed service expectations by resolving issues faster and more efficiently with fewer resources, keeping networks stable, and minimizing disruptions for those they support. www.domotz.com
GoZoneWiFi is a SaaS company offering business analytics, venue intelligence, and guest engagement solutions. Through loyalty-generating services like Marketing4WiFi, GoZone empowers businesses to strategically refine customer communication, turning one-stop patrons into loyal customers. www.gozonewifi.com
Jaze Networks provides captive portal solutions with customizable workflows and RADIUS based AAA through cloud-based SaaS and on-premise solutions. Developed especially for NETGEAR’s community, a captive portal enables fast onboarding of users onto Wi-Fi networks, with features including end-user onboarding. Visibility of who is connected along with policy enforcement and log retention. www.jazenetworks.com
Hamina Wireless provides fast and simple wireless network design tools for Wi-Fi, private 5G, and wireless IoT. Hamina’s wireless network planning, site survey and troubleshooting solutions are designed to be affordable for all kinds of businesses, whether starting with a greenfield site or refreshing an existing network. Users can start with a free version that, via a self-service portal, gets them up and running in less than two minutes and then upgrade as needed. https://www.hamina.com
Origin Acoustics is a designer and manufacturer of the finest loudspeakers, electronics, and accessories available for the custom integrator market. Featuring a collection of industry all-stars, the team at Origin brings legitimate decades of experience to the innovation and creation of products that make a dramatic difference in the entertainment systems being installed around the world. https://originacoustics.com
Yagna iQ digitally connects vendors, distributors, resellers, and end customers on the Cloud for secured and seamless channel transactions. Yagna Channel Ecosystem Platform reimagines the channel with its automation suite of products for vendors, distributors, and resellers. Yagna has created a free site survey service for NETGEAR Business channel partners. https://www.yagnaiq.com
NETGEAR PRO WIFI ACCESS POINTS
NETGEAR business wireless access points are designed to deliver reliable, high-performance WiFi solutions for any business. They offer seamless connectivity, advanced security features, and scalable management options to meet the demands of modern workplaces. With support for the latest WiFi standards, including WiFi 7, these access points ensure faster speeds, greater coverage, and the ability to handle multiple devices simultaneously. NETGEAR’s intuitive cloud-based or local management platforms make deployment and monitoring straightforward, making them an ideal choice for offices, retail environments, and other professional settings. Find out more: www.netgear.com/business/wifi/.