BANGALORE: Cisco Systems, Inc. is one of the major vendors catering to the IT needs of the Small and Medium Businesses (SMBs) with a focus on networking products, unified communications, Integrated Services Router (ISR), Smart Business Communications System and the like. Over the years the SMB market has assumed greater importance for this networking giant and the company plans to release a range of new products over a period of time.

Amit Malik, Vice President, East, Cisco India & SAARC talks about on how Cisco is helping SMBs adopt IT and the company's plans to introduce a range of new products to consolidate its hold in the SMB market in an interview with Sharath Kumar of CIOL. Here are excerpts from the interview:

CIOL: How significant is the Indian SMB market for Cisco?

Amit Malik: SMB is the fastest growing segment for Cisco in India and worldwide. Our SMB market strategy involves helping customers create a sustainable competitive advantage, improve their operational efficiencies, increase their employees' productivity, and ultimately boost their returns and profitability.

We recently unveiled a multi-pronged strategic roadmap to tap the rapidly growing market for IT and networking of Small and Medium Businesses in India. The strategy includes focusing on new customised SMB products/solutions and financing schemes.

We will also leverage our Webex acquisition to penetrate the SMB market further through its on-demand collaboration applications, and its network-based solution for delivering business-to-business collaboration. This extends Cisco's vision for Unified Communications, particularly within the SMB segment.

CIOL: What edge does Cisco products/services offer to customers vice versa your competitors?

AM: Cisco offers end-to-end networking solutions to their customers' vis-à-vis competition that focus on providing point solutions.

The value we are offering to customers is that our products offer more than just routing. It's a complete package which covers telephony, wireless, security and this is all in one box, so manageability is also made simpler. Further, we also offer services that help them by not requiring an IT team to manage these multiple solutions. The products are also plug and play so they are far easier to deploy.

While larger enterprises rely on technology to improve efficiency and ensure future profitability, SMBs rely on IT as a matter of survival, i.e. to stay competitive. Cisco has understood and addressed the networking technology needs of SMBs and will continue to develop end-to-end networking solutions specific to SMBs.

CIOL: What steps has Cisco taken to make IT adoption more affordable to SMBs?

AM: Cisco Capital has launched the Easy Lease program that specifically addresses the needs of the SMB market.
Considering the requirements of the SMBs Cisco has designed SMB Class Solutions and has been educating the SMB customer with its benefits. Cisco's Integrated Services Router (ISR) is a typical example of a SMB class product- combining the benefits of voice, data and video, it does away with diverse sets of hardware and literally is a 'small office' out of a box.

Also, with the IT requirements of SMBs getting more complex, we recently launched the simple, complete and highly secure Smart Business Communications System helps enable anytime anywhere access to information for SMBs. The system employs new hardware products, integrated unified communications applications and system-management tools designed to complement each other and provide communication building blocks for small businesses.

To specifically address the needs of the Indian market, we have launched bundled solutions along with our Ecosystem partners, including application integration on Smart Business Communication System- a solution with particular focus towards the needs of SMBs. We have launched a 48-user pack at a special price for customers and will continue to bring more innovative solutions going forward.

CIOL: Any new products/services in pipeline?

AM: Cisco plans to launch 30 new products for SMBs over the next 12 months, and we will continue to innovate, design and develop products and solutions for the growing needs of SMB globally and in India.

Cisco has also introuduced Unified Communications 500 Series. The Smart Care Service launched recently is designed to help SMBs in India to simplify network maintenance through regular, proactive network assessments, remote software repairs and technical support.

Based upon a collaborative approach to delivering services, Cisco Smart Care Service combines the complementary strengths of Cisco and its channel partners to proactively verify that a customer's network is secure, reliable and functioning optimally at all times.

CIOL: What is your market projection for the year and beyond?

AM: SMB is a high growth segment for Cisco in India and is already contributing significantly to the business that Cisco does in the region. Given the kind of investment potential that SMBs have, the segment will definitely grow to become a sizeable contributor to Cisco's revenues, over the coming years.