Schneider Electric Launches Program for IT Solution Providers to Drive New Recurring Revenue via Managed Power Services
April 28, 2021
Schneider Electric, a global provider in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, recently announced the Edge Software & Digital Services Program, a complete suite of financial incentives, support tools and certifications for IT solution providers to create a Managed Power Services practice. The new program, created in response to the significant growth of edge computing, enables IT solution providers to establish recurring revenue streams by offering remote monitoring and management of physical infrastructure across their customers’ networks utilizing Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure IT Software & Digital Services. The Edge Software & Digital Services Program is part of the award-winning mySchneider IT Solutions Partner Program, formerly known as the APC Channel Partner Program.
It’s estimated that 75 per cent of enterprise-generated data will be created and processed outside a traditional, centralized data center or cloud by 2025, according to Gartner.1 Edge infrastructure is geographically distributed across the network, especially where on-site IT is not present. Today, only 27 per cent2 of IT solution providers offer these Managed Power Services.
“Edge computing presents an enormous opportunity for solution providers to expand their service portfolio to address power and cooling infrastructure especially as these sites have become mission-critical,” said Jamie Bourassa, Vice President, Edge Computing and IT Channels, Schneider Electric. “Starting a new service practice takes a commitment of resources including time, education and business development. The level of effort will vary by partner and based on feedback from managed service providers, establishing a managed IT service business can take up to 3,500 hours. We have built a program, for all partners, that simplifies the path to entering the Managed Power Services and helps them capture revenue quickly and for the long-term.”
Core components of the Edge Software & Digital Services Program include:
- – Lifecycle rebates – an on-going financial incentive for IT solution providers to reinvest in their business
- – Step-by-step, operational e-guide – “The Essential Guide to Growing Your Business with Managed Power Services”
- – Certification paths – educational courses designed to increase technical and business acumen related to digital remote monitoring software and service options
- – EcoStruxure IT Software and Digital Services – access to Schneider Electric’s flexible portfolio providing advanced, 24/7 remote monitoring, and remote and on-site support
Financial incentives to successfully implement a Managed Power Services practice
The managed services market has continued to expand over the last 10-12 years, and now represents almost $160 billion in IT revenues managed through IT solution providers.3 By establishing a Managed Power Services practice, IT solution providers create new revenue streams by monitoring and managing customers’ physical infrastructure assets in their edge environment including the power, cooling, environmental and physical security assets. The addition of Managed Power Services adds 1.5-times additional revenue over the lifecycle of the asset.4 Moreover, IT solution providers can help improve resiliency of these sites with proactive maintenance, identify hardware refreshes and reduce operational expenses for the benefit of their customers.
To offset the start-up costs, the Edge Software & Digital Services Program includes a Customer Lifecycle Rebate. Developed based on feedback from IT solution providers, the rebate rewards mySchneider IT Partners for various actions across the lifecycle of the customer engagement including attaching, monitoring, servicing and upgrading customer assets.
Resources to help IT Partners build their Managed Power Services
Edge Software & Digital Services Program participants will have free access to resources including The Essential Guide to Growing your Business with Managed Power Services, a step-by-step guide enabling smooth development of a managed services practice. The program also offers two new certification paths tailored to partners’ specific focus whether on reselling software and services or full-service monitor and management. Both certifications aim to elevate managed power services competencies, regardless of current business stage and capabilities.
Certified partners will have access to an experienced, dedicated Partner Success Manager to guide their development journey and accelerate time-to-revenue. All participants in the program have access to design tools, and a Software & Services community in Schneider Electric’s Exchange Platform, an open business platform that connects industry experts and technology partners to increase competitive positioning and business innovation.
EcoStruxure IT Software and Digital Services provides partners with options
EcoStruxure IT Software & Digital Services provides flexibility in managed service options so IT solution providers can scale up their practice purposely. Built with partners in mind, this flexible, customizable portfolio empowers an IT solution provider to deliver advanced 24/7 remote monitoring, and remote and on-site support, with options for partners to leverage their service investments or outsource to Schneider’s service experts. Schneider Electric’s digital services portfolio is enabled by its EcoStruxure IT Platform, supporting successful deployment, monitoring, and maintenance at the edge. mySchneider IT Solution Providers can select and layer software and digital services to build a solution that best-suits their business model and customers’ needs.
