Smartphone maker BlackBerry of Waterloo, Ont., wants to collaborate better with solution providers and has adjusted its BlackBerry Partner Support Services (BPSS) program to reflect that.
The biggest enhancements to the BPSS are new program levels with options to enable channel partners to price programs more efficiently and have more consistent margins.
BlackBerry will also free up its technical support representatives for the channel to provide better access. There will also be a new entrance criteria offering discounts tied to BlackBerry certifications.
In the past, the channel partner support program operated on a per-incident model. BlackBerry has changed this approach after getting channel feedback. The company said it recognized the need for a more consistent cost structure that aligns to the way the channel does business. BlackBerry will usher in a per-user (device) per-month fees instead of the per-incident model.
In addition, BlackBerry will monitor channel business needs to provide better access to its technical support teams. The company said that whether it’s a small issue or extensive troubleshooting, the technical support options for resellers will be more comprehensive.
Finally, Tier 3 support customers had an upfront program fee in the past, BlackBerry is now requiring BlackBerry certification, which the company expects most solution providers already have.
The BPSS program will also go beyond the traditional reseller and will include app developers.
BlackBerry told CDN through a blog post that the goal of these changes is to ensure that solution providers are able to collaborate with BlackBerry so that they can provide customers with top notch support.
Solution providers can register for BPSS at partners.blackberry.com.
“Smartphone market is leaving Apple’s iPhone in its wake”
I wouldn’t really call it trash talk if it’s true. In most respects the iPhone is the trailer of the smartphone industry in measureable ways. Their OS is not multi-tasking like Android, WP, and BB10 leaving it’s core functions lacking in functionality. They don’t have NFC functionality in their device, the once vaunted retina display is now the smallest and lowest resolution of the top tier smart phones. By taking a 30% cut of all app and in-app sales the cost of ownership is the highest and if NFC payment ever comes to the iPhone they will want 30% because the visa or mastercard payments will happen via an app, which is just ridiculous. Apple looks surprisingly like the arrogant RIM of 2007 and may need to be humbled like they were before they stop taking success and their customers for granted.