As Lenovo ushers in the company’s “Next Reality” phase where it will focus on new technologies for hybrid working and living environments, the channel team is working on new business models for the as-a-service market.

In 2022, Lenovo unveiled new strategies based on consumption models starting with the TruScale initiative followed up by the Lenovo 360 program meant to address consumers and business leaders’ challenges when facing unprecedented change in business, education, living and more.

Jose Luis Fernandez, the Vice President, Global Channels International Markets for Lenovo took part in the Jolera Interview Series and said the $60 billion dollar hardware vendor wants to provide new opportunities for the channel that align with the company’s business groups.

Lenovo 360 is a first of its kind global channel partner framework intended to make things easier for solution providers and managed services providers (MSPs) to access the entire Lenovo portfolio across devices, infrastructure, and services and solutions.

Fernandez, who is responsible for channel including telcos, systems integrators, and MSPs, said this program comes at a time when organizations large and small are moving to an “everything-as-a-service” consumption model.

“Lenovo 360 is all about offering value and a broader portfolio for those in the channel who want to expand. It improves ease of doing business for those who want to specialize also. Lenovo is a channel first vendor, and we only go through the channel; that’s why we say, ‘channel first’ because we want to hold ourselves accountable,” he said.

With this new program in place, Lenovo has outlined the core elements of people, programs, and tools in Lenovo 360’ framework, while adding eight new solutions to enable greater workforce productivity and sustainability.

“Traditionally technology vendors have treated partners for who they are. We are seeing that one day you can be an MSP and the following day you are a VAR and then the next day the opposite happens. We came to the conclusion that we should treat the partners for what they do and not who they are. If they transact with Lenovo, then the VAR program is in place. The same goes for MSPs. But if they are specializing and they want to expand and broaden their portfolio we are giving them an opportunity if they want it,” he added.

Watch the Jolera Interview Series to learn more about the Lenovo 360 program. Also, Fernandez delves into how Lenovo is overseeing digital transformation coming out of the pandemic, how it is developing new products around security and what’s next for MSPs in the channel.