As a global leader in barcode printing, labelling and EPC/RFID solutions, SATO is actively looking to further expand and develop its Business Partner network across Europe. With a campaign called "Year of the Channel" the company is focusing on increasing its support for existing business partners and actively recruiting new Value Added Resellers that will complement those partners participating in SATO's European Partner Programme today.
"Since initially introducing our Prestige Partner Programme in 2010 we have seen great success," explained Ikuo Dobashi, Chairman of SATO Corporation and SATO International Europe. "Our strategy to build a targeted and powerful network of specialist partners has worked out well. In the last couple of years we have been able to successfully enrol over 100 new VARs in our European programme. Our Year of the Channel campaign will build on the achievements so far and continue the search for new complementary partners, who are also looking to benefit from the business opportunity SATO has to offer."
The Prestige Partner Programme comprises three tiers with SATO now focusing on building up the two upper tiers - Premier and Champion. Here, the company continues to look for partners with market specialisation, application specialisation, specific technical skills, value-added qualities within a target market segment and proven geographic penetration. The overall goal is not to create competition among the Business Partners, but to identify the right ones that fill particular gaps in terms of specialisation and to invest in these partners to jointly grow a certain part of the market. Key target industries for SATO include the retail sector, food and quick service restaurants, manufacturing, transportation and logistics as well as healthcare and government.
With SATO providing a broad range of innovative and quality printing products and supplies for these markets, VARs, system integrators and software vendors have the opportunity to integrate SATO base technologies at attractive margin opportunities into their overall solution offerings for their end customers.
Vendors enrolled in the programme benefit from access to comprehensive training and technical services packages as well as marketing tools and funds that help generate sales leads. As part of the effort SATO has re-designed and re-launched its Business Partner Portal, which provides access to a large variety of valuable marketing resources, moving it on to a new technology platform allowing for a more user friendly interface and more effective communication within the network.