More in store for Samsung 'Eco Partners'

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.—Samsung's strategic partners can more easily submit project registration, access training, and up-to-date pricing and other product information as part of enhancements the camera manufacturer is making to its Samsung Techwin Eco Partners (STEP) program.

First introduced at ISC West this year, STEP is “a small group of dedicated strategic partners who are willing to invest time with Samsung in exchange for differentiation versus their competitors as well as limited distribution to keep margins commensurate with their effort,” Janet Fenner, Samsung Techwin America senior marketing group manager, said in an email interview.

STEP includes five different kinds of partners: channel partners (integrators and resellers); technology partners; A&E partners; application partners (developers and third-party software); and client partners (end users). There are different levels within the channel partners, technology partners and applications partners.

In July, Samsung launched a website specifically for STEP partners. One of the benefits for integrators is project registration, which Fenner said, “rewards the integrator who is willing to put in the effort to specify Samsung or to convert an end user who may have chosen a less than optimum solution.”

Pricing for those is determined by “project size, sophistication and response to competitive solutions.”

Once a project is registered, “dedicated Samsung sales and engineering support teams aimed at ensuring that the integrator has every available resource [are deployed],” Fenner explained.