Cisco 360 Companion Program for MSPs and Managed Companies

Technological innovation, supercharged by AI, is reshaping buyer expectations. Companies now demand outcomes—delivered with simplicity and agility—not simply know-how merchandise. This shift has propelled managed companies to the forefront of our {industry}, making it a important differentiator and a prime precedence for our companions. 

At Cisco, we’re dedicated to empowering our companions’ success on this transformation. As Tim Coogan, SVP, International Companion Gross sales  states, it is a keystone of our channel technique and the brand new Cisco 360 Companion Program: 

“Our clients are telling us loud and clear that managed companies are more and more how they undertake transformative know-how. And our companions are telling us that this enterprise mannequin is the place they count on the largest progress. That makes managed companies important to Cisco’s future as properly. For this reason we’ve constructed managed companies into the inspiration of the Cisco 360 Companion Program—as a result of we consider in assembly clients the place they’re and empowering companions to ship outcomes that matter most.”

Buyer Demand Meets Companion Precedence

The info is evident: managed companies are the first progress driver for B2B IT channel companions. A February 2025 Canalys survey of over 1,000 international respondents discovered that 49% named managed companies their most vital income alternative, far outpacing {hardware} gross sales at 16% with different initiatives following at precipitously smaller charges. The survey additionally recognized managed companies as the highest contributor to gross margin.¹ 

This concentrate on managed companies makes excellent sense when you think about the tangible benefits for companions:

• Boosted Profitability: Managed companies create predictable, recurring income streams with greater margins that may be optimized over time, boosting investor confidence and supporting funding concerns. 
• Enhanced Buyer Engagement: Managed companies allow a full lifecycle engagement, making certain you’ve continuous causes to have interaction along with your purchasers—from touchdown the preliminary sale and serving to the client onboard and undertake the answer to increasing the chance and renewing—resulting in elevated lifetime values, mindshare, and satisfaction. 
• Strategic Worth: By specializing in enterprise outcomes as an alternative of speeds and feeds, you elevate from being a vendor to an integral strategic advisor. It’s a lot tougher for a competitor to enter an account when the client feels compelled to name you first to debate new priorities. 

Cisco’s 3P Technique: Our Dedication to Your Managed Companies Journey 

I’ve beforehand written about Cisco’s dedication to MSPs by our “3P” technique: Platform, Choice, and Efficiency. This multi-faceted method continues to seize what’s most important for our shared success because the Cisco portfolio, our companions, and our associate program are always evolving.

• Platform: Begin with Nice Know-how –  Our “One Cisco” portfolio brings collectively the unparalleled power of our industry-leading know-how. From networking and safety to observability and collaboration, our platforms are designed with APIs for seamless integration, centralized administration, and automation. We proceed to spend money on MS-specific product managers who perceive the options wanted for operational success at scale, enabling you to ship complete, outcome-based options.
• Choice: The Keystone of Our Technique – We’re dedicated to elevating and simplifying the associate expertise for you as an MSP. This consists of offering a wealthy set of instruments and assets, delivered by {industry} specialists, that can assist you combine platforms, optimize your observe maturity, and speed up your managed companies enterprise. We wish to scale back the time and value of your evolution, regardless of the place you might be in your journey.
• Efficiency: Rewarding Your Progress – The Cisco 360 Companion Program is designed to reward companions for progress and for increasing their Cisco capabilities. It’s about recognizing your investments and celebrating your success in delighting clients. We’re aligning you to the Cisco area sellers by frequent metrics and providing you with managed services-specific, portfolio aligned Cisco Powered Companies.

Companion Managed Companies: Embedded All through the Cisco 360 Companion Program

Single labels not outline a know-how associate. As a result of most companions now function a number of practices, managed companies are deeply embedded within the Cisco 360 Companion Program—not as an add-on, however as a elementary measure of success. Your managed companies observe maturity and demonstrated capabilities immediately contribute to your Companion Worth Indices (PVIs), that are central to unlocking your designations and advantages.

Right here’s how managed companies present up within the related metric classes:

• Foundational: We acknowledge your progress in constructing a strong managed companies observe, together with devoted roles and working a Community or Safety Operations Middle (NOC/SOC). Our three-level Managed Companies Follow Maturity framework, aligned with the TSIA LAER buyer engagement mannequin, helps you at each stage of your journey.
• Capabilities:  These metrics mirror your staff’s experience by Black Belt enablement and Cisco profession certifications. Companions with a Managed Companies Follow Maturity can earn further advantages by sharing capabilities from a Middle of Excellence throughout a number of nations by a versatile Hub and Spoke mannequin.
• Efficiency: Your managed companies bookings (ACV/TCV) and your use of MS-specific shopping for packages—the Managed Companies Enterprise Settlement (MSEA) and Managed Companies License Settlement (MSLA)—immediately enhance your efficiency metrics. Flagging your managed companies bookings additionally helps justify continued funding in MSP-focused options and specialists.
• Engagement: Managed companies naturally embody full lifecycle engagement—from touchdown and adoption to enlargement and renewal. These motions translate immediately into your Engagement actions and Cisco 360 outcomes.

Reaping the Rewards of Managed Companies Success

Success in managed companies is properly rewarded within the Cisco 360 Companion Program.

• Differentiation: Reaching Cisco Powered Companies designations helps you stand out. They’re searchable within the enhanced Companion Locator, which helps clients, Cisco sellers, and different companions discover you based mostly on demonstrated strengths.
• Programmatic Discounting: We recognize that MSPs drive architectural choice. Programmatic discounting, aligned to your Follow Maturity and Cisco Powered Service attainment, helps you quote and promote with velocity and profitability, permitting you to populate your service catalog with well-priced presents.
• Cisco Companion Incentives (CPI): Again-end incentives by Cisco Companion Incentives (CPI) additionally improve your profitability. CPI rewards you for promoting the newest Cisco improvements—for instance, Wi-Fi 7 merchandise carry the next incentive than Wi-Fi 6E. Your earnings develop as you spend money on your Managed Companies Follow Maturity and capabilities, and attaining the Most well-liked designation unlocks a further CPI bonus.
• Deal Registration: Protects your pursuits in aggressive conditions, whether or not you might be looking a brand new emblem, teaming with a Cisco gross sales staff, or pursuing a renewal. It helps us handle forecasts and rewards you for constructing this movement into your gross sales course of.

These are only a few of the methods we reward your success!

Your success with managed companies is significant to our mutual progress. The Cisco 360 Companion Program is designed to create a flywheel impact: as you make investments and ship worth, you might be rewarded, enabling additional progress. After we each make investments, we succeed collectively in a market ripe with demand.

Act Now: Your Path to Success

Maximize the Cisco 360 Companion Program transition alternative by:

• Investing in Cisco Platforms: Construct and improve your managed companies utilizing the industry-leading One Cisco portfolio.
• Reaching Cisco Powered Companies: Differentiate your companies and achieve higher visibility available in the market.
• Advancing your Supplier Function stage: These investments immediately translate to Cisco 360’s Managed Companies Follow Maturity and defer the necessity for extra validations for 18 months or extra from the launch on January twenty fifth
• Leveraging MS-Particular Shopping for Applications: Optimize your profitability by using software program shopping for packages designed for MSPs.
• Flagging Managed Companies in CCW: Guarantee your contributions are precisely tracked and acknowledged to assist us scale investments that help your wants.
• Using the Companion Expertise Platform (PXP): Monitor your Companion Worth Indices and metrics to see how your efforts translate into program advantages.

Cisco is deeply dedicated to making sure our MSP companions have the platforms, assets, and incentives to develop profitably. By embracing managed companies with Cisco, you may unlock new ranges of worthwhile progress and create lasting worth to your clients, all of which you will note mirrored within the Cisco 360 Companion Program

Collectively, we will obtain outstanding success. #GoManaged