APC Intros Partner Rewards Program, Plans To Add MDFs

The new APC Rewards Program gives solution providers regardless of level the opportunity to earn points based on sales of almost all APC products and then redeem those points for consumer products such as travel or race car driving, said Gordon Lord, director of channel marketing and programs for the West Kingston, R.I.-based provider of data center power and cooling solutions.

Going forward, those rewards will change, making the program more flexible for channel partners, Lord said.

During the second quarter of 2010, partners will be able to redeem the loyalty points for market development funds. Lord said those funds can help develop lead generation and other campaigns.

APC is also looking at ways to help its solution providers redeem their points via the company's distributors. "We're still working on linking with our four top distributors on how to make the plumbing work," Lord said.

APC originally focused its points-based loyalty program on consumer products as the incentive as this seems to be a fairly common way to target individual sales reps, Lord said.

"We wanted to give partners a variety of choices," he said. "But based on feedback, we expect more of the points to be redeemed for market development funds."