International M2M and IoT: Partners empowered

Deutsche Telekom Europe facilitates access to the international M2M and IoT market. Partnerships are essential when it comes to making business with customers from M2M and the Internet of Things offerings.

Only few markets are as fragmented as those for M2M and IoT offerings. Partnering is a crucial element in linking various smaller hardware and software providers in order to offer suitable end-to-end solutions to the customer. Also, this playing field has left the local arena: it is increasingly important for M2M and IoT companies to face the challenges of an international market: How to ensure that products and solutions work smoothly across national borders and how to market them on a global scale? We talked to Vit Soupal, Head of European M2M and IoTMarketing, who explained how Deutsche Telekom’s European M2M Partner Program meets those challenges.

Vit, what is the idea behind the European M2M Partner Program?
We noticed that many partners in our local partner programs are very successful on a local level. But in order to market their solutions across Europe, not to mention a global scale, they often need additional resources and properly geared distribution channels. Out of this situation we developed the idea to stimulate cross-border business by introducing a European Program on top of the existing local partner programs of our national subsidiaries. The European M2M Partner Program takes the best ideas from the local markets and makes them available in a much wider footprint. We are sure that all parties profit from this type of cooperation. But at the end of the day, customers will reap the greatest benefit. Working in full cooperation where others fail to come up with answers we can provide them a variety of solutions with tried-and-tested technology. 

What are the advantages of being your partner?
We assist partners in making their business more international. In a nutshell, selected partners receive extended business support, technical training and access to new and defined sales channels across Europe. Also, they more directly benefit from Deutsche Telekom’s international communication activities.

 How do I become a European partner?
The process is quite simple. First of all, your company has to be a successful member of a local M2M Partner Program. Additionally, all candidate partners need to demonstrate the ability to serve international customers at top quality. Finally, their M2M solutions also need to show tangible market potential across Europe and fit with Deutsche Telekom’s overall M2M portfolio. Both revenue performance and quality of cooperation at local level are taken into consideration. If partners meet these criteria, they can be nominated by their local partner manager.

 Let’s say I’m a Partner now. What’s next?
As a new member of the European M2M Partner Program you will keep your membership on local level. In the next step we will meet and agree on a set of key performance indicators for one year. Confirmed members receive access to new sales channels across Europe as well as technical training and business support. Every partnership is reviewed on a yearly basis, taking into account the development of revenue performance and the quality of cooperation. 

How many partners and solutions are part of the European M2M partner program today?
We are currently cooperating with fifteen partners from five countries. The partners provide 34 solutions ranging from business applications like forklift tracking to solutions in energy management and security. Soon, three new national companies will join the European M2M Partner Program to enrich it with their best local practices and interesting new solutions.

If you are interested in more information, visit the website of the European M2M partner program.