By Rohan de Beer, Secure Power Division at Schneider Electric

A recent roundtable, hosted by the Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) and attended by CIOs and IT leaders, emphasised that organisations are under increasing pressure to pressure to sustain “business as usual” through extended power outages.

Only 34% of the CIOs and IT leaders, attending, said they had the necessary business continuity crisis plan, redundant connectivity, and backup power reserves to manage a complete grid failure or outage of a week or longer. 38% were equipped to function through outages only up to six hours, 7% said they could function through outages of up to 24 hours, and 21% said they had no backup power or crisis plan.

From the above, it abundantly clear that vendors and their channel partners have a vital role to play in ensuring that organisations are fortified with the technology required to keep business running for an extended period; the availability of these solutions have therefore become paramount.

Solutions and the channel

The role of UPSs is well-known; these devices provide a high level of power stability and maintain consistent voltage levels in the electrical supply.  UPSs are the non-negotiable part of the continuous power mix, providing invaluable functionality that, in reality, serves as first line of defence against an unstable grid.

Automatic transfer switches and power distribution units (PDUs) form another part of the continuous power provision puzzle.  

Schneider Electric's approach to providing stability and continuous power is deeply rooted in our channel model.  We operate through three primary channels, each catering to specific market segments and their unique needs:

• Distribution channel which focuses transactional business, serving resellers that target small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). These partners ensure that even the smallest IT setups have access to reliable power protection.   
• Medium-sized channel - these channel partners work with medium to large enterprises (MLEs), facilitating the smooth transition of our Secure Power solutions to this crucial market segment.
• The enterprise channel deals with larger global corporations, forging direct relationships to meet the unique requirements of these conglomerates.

Furthermore, in a time where eCommerce plays an important role in channel partners’ go-to-market strategies, we continue to evolve our strategy, investing in this space and exploring different approaches that will enhance our value proposition.

To further strengthen our channel model, we’ve also introduced a global partner programme, now in its implementation phase, that includes a myriad of benefits such as marketing support, financial incentives and dedicated account managers, all designed to empower partners of every size, from small businesses to global corporations.

Ultimately, we believe that our Secure Power offerings are more than just devices, it provides the guarantee of uninterrupted power in a world where electrical devices are the lifeblood of businesses and individuals. And strengthening this offer is our robust channel model that ensures continuous power solutions reaches every corner of the market.