ChannelLife Australia - Industry insider news for technology resellers
Story image

Ingram Micro aids Australian resellers with Adobe VIP shift

Wed, 25th Sep 2024

Ingram Micro has introduced a new solution aimed at assisting Australian resellers in transitioning to Adobe's new VIP Marketplace.

This development is facilitated through Ingram Micro's newly launched platform, Xvantage, which now enables resellers to conduct transactions on the Adobe VIP Marketplace.

This move comes in direct response to Adobe's recent decision to retire its VIP Buying Program for the commercial market segment effective by the end of May 2025.

From June, all new and renewal orders for commercial customers will be required to go through the VIP Marketplace. The transition aims to simplify the process for resellers and end-users alike, with a heavy emphasis on automation and actionable insights via the Xvantage platform.

Ingram Micro has highlighted the efficiency enhancements provided by Xvantage, which integrates advanced automation capabilities, AI-driven functions, and upsell features. The platform is designed to aid resellers in understanding customer purchasing behaviours and predicting emerging trends in technology and cloud services.

"Xvantage is more than just a website, portal or marketplace – it's Ingram Micro's digital twin," stated Trent Gomersall, Director of Cloud, Cybersecurity and Hybrid Business at Ingram Micro. "Leveraging modern technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and Large Language Models (LLM), Xvantage delivers a personalised and curated experience for customers. This allows us to move from transactions to interactions, focusing our conversations with partners on areas that support their business objectives, rather than operational tasks."

The Xvantage platform is also equipped with tools for managing subscriptions, optimising accounting practices, and preventing licence expirations. It features revenue prediction and tracking capabilities and an auto-generated renewals function aimed at securing customer relationships through timely notifications. Enhanced quote management within the platform allows partners to tailor their offerings more effectively, thereby reducing service-level agreement (SLA) times and maintaining full visibility of all quotes.

Over 300 resellers are currently benefiting from the VIP Marketplace programme.

Ingram Micro's team is prepared to help the channel ecosystem navigate these updates, adapting their operations to align with the new system. Gomersall emphasised the company's readiness to provide support, stating, "I believe our decade-long alliance with Adobe and a team of over 40 Ingram Micro-dedicated Adobe experts in ANZ well positions us to support resellers and their customers during this critical migration."

"Part of this commitment includes providing our customers with the tools and resources they need to take full advantage of the opportunities this transition presents."

Jo Rought, Senior Director for Digital Media ANZ at Adobe, added, "The move to VIP Marketplace is a strategic evolution in how we deliver value to our customers."

"We are thrilled to have Ingram Micro on this journey with us. Their expertise, combined with the power of Xvantage, will help ensure a smooth transition for our partners in Australia and New Zealand, empowering them to maximise the benefits of the VIP Marketplace."

The support from Ingram Micro will encompass tailored assistance in customer mapping strategies, deployment of Xvantage's native integrations, and APIs. This approach ensures that resellers can streamline their processes and achieve their business goals effectively.

"As the industry continues to evolve, Ingram Micro is committed to delivering solutions that empower partners to do more, sell more and grow more. Simplifying the transition to Adobe VIP Marketplace is just one of the many ways Ingram Micro is helping its customers stay ahead in the competitive technology landscape," concluded Gomersall.

Follow us on:
Follow us on LinkedIn Follow us on X
Share on:
Share on LinkedIn Share on X