Toshiba driveIT

Toshiba Europe Storage Device Division (SDD) announced driveIT, a new SDD European partner programme.

The driveIT initiative will provide Enterprise HDD integrators and OEMs with value added tools for product development. Members will benefit from access to services that support the integration of Toshiba’s own enterprise HDDs, in addition to a selection of tools and training that provide them with a competitive edge to market and sell their own products.

Standard membership to the programme includes access to a range of benefits, tailored specifically to the business needs of Toshiba’s partners. These include technical resources such as whitepapers and case studies, a dedicated hotline and a technical chat function to enable members to contact Toshiba staff directly for product support. They will also have access to a calendar of open events and road shows hosted by Toshiba. In addition, members can utilise a collection of marketing materials including adverts, brochures and online banners to download and use, along with supporting product imagery.

For members that agree and achieve partnership targets, Toshiba has developed a Premium Membership Plus package. Alongside all the advantages of the standard programme, advanced membership will provide integrators with access to special Toshiba promotional offers, exclusive web training and direct access to Toshiba’s engineering and account management teams. Advanced members will also receive additional access to marketing materials, including direct Toshiba marketing contacts and support with public relations.

Martin Larsson, Vice President and General Manager, Toshiba Europe Storage Device Division commented: "The launch of driveIT affirms Toshiba’s commitment to continued support for our valuable partner network. By investing in this programme to offer integrators and OEMs working with Toshiba additional benefits, we will provide more than just a buy-sell experience to our partners. We will be providing them with dedicated resources that support their needs beyond simply a business transaction."

driveIT will sit along side ‘Performers Club’, Toshiba’s channel partner programme, within Toshiba’s ‘Partner Lounge’. The Partner Lounge is a dedicated portal for all Toshiba’s EMEA partners, providing tools and assistance including real-time technical Q&A service and diagnostics software tools, to help set their business apart from competitors, increase sales and improve customer satisfaction.

To celebrate the launch of this new partner programme, Toshiba is running a competition to win Toshiba’s Porsche drive IT Experience. The winners will spend the day (15 March 2011) with the Toshiba SDD team at the Porsche Museum in Leipzig, Germany – to experience the thrill of driving a fleet of Porsche’s both on and off the track. The competition is open for companies who register to become a driveIT member by 31 January 2011 (companies will be eligible to win once they have qualified for membership). Five companies will be selected in a lottery draw and each will be able to send two delegates to participate in this once in a lifetime experience.