Earlier this year saw one of the biggest leaps forward in how AMD manages its relationships with its technology partners. As you probably know, on the 30th September 2009 all of our existing EMEA technology partners, around 180 in total, were welcomed into our newly designed AMD Fusion Partner Program. The transition was a mammoth task, and we experienced a few bumps in the road when trying to work with that many program members, but we accomplished it and the new program went live on schedule. If you’re not familiar with the background, the program was put in place following customer feedback, with the aim of streamlining sales programs, benefits and resources to help ensure that our partners each have a plan in place customized to meet their existing needs as well as help them find new growth opportunities. Our goal for this program was simply to bring all products and support together under one umbrella that encompassed both AMD and ATI products.

As with any change of this magnitude, it is critical that following the launch we constantly review how the program is impacting our technology partners and that we are making the positive difference that we hoped for. The proof is, as they say, in the pudding. I’ve spent a lot of time working closely with partner contacts at all levels within the region and the feedback has been universally positive. We’ve really tried to drill down in our conversations relating to each of our major business tracks. So for each group of companies, we are able to identify where the biggest benefits and ‘wins’ exist and focus on strengthening these first. Our partners have also highlighted how new program features such as advanced online training, more comprehensive incentives and a wider range of co-marketing funds have enabled them to take their relationships with AMD to the next level.

So we’re off to a good start, but that doesn’t mean that it has all been easy. We’ve had to carefully manage the expectations of our local technology partners and have worked with them closely to ensure that everything we communicate is simple to understand, delivers a clear benefit and aligns with what the market has requested. The benefit of a global program is now that we can provide a similar level of product support, re-imbursement and incentives regardless of where the partner is physically located.

Given the challenging trading conditions of recent quarters and the highly competitive market we operate in, this is no time for us to rest on our laurels. Globally the AMD Component and Channel teams are now looking at how the program can be evolved in 2010 to provide an even greater level of support and incentivize closer working relationships. Just to give you an example, in 2010 AMD is planning to roll out a new AMD Fusion Partner Program portal which is designed to incorporate many different tools and will provide the opportunity for the program partners to see their targets and budgets all in real time, with supporting relevant information. We will plan to extend the program to technology partners supporting the commercial markets: system integrators, VAR and server/professional workstation graphics. It will involve a lot of work, but will go even further to demonstrate our long term commitment in this space.

One thing is clear, it’s only by working closely with our program partners, listening to their needs, helping them succeed and engaging with them directly on a local and regional level, that we will be in a position to keep exceeding their expectations and pushing forward our successes into 2010 and beyond.

Ottmar Knauer is Manager, Component Channel Marketing at AMD. His postings are his own opinions and may not represent AMD’s positions, strategies or opinions. Links to third party sites are provided for convenience and unless explicitly stated, AMD is not responsible for the contents of such links sites and no endorsement is implied.