I see it the same way Wall Street sees it: Lenovo is going flat out. In our quarterly 1:1 visit with Lenovo executive Chris Frey, I received the scoop on its latest quarterly results, plus gained some insights into the future. Ironically, this chit-chat occurred as I was zooming to my next Windows XP Migration workshop (where Lenovo and others are sponsors).
First and foremost in the eyes of SMB Nation readers was the current status of the Mobility Kit (aka Combat Kit) for partners. You’ll recall that I’ve been promoting this kit on the aforementioned Windows XP Migration tour (read my prior blog HERE). It’s a snappy air freight-ready red Clydesdale box stuffed with four of the latest Lenovo units (Carbon X1, Twist, Helix and Tablet2). Essentially you can enjoy the latest technologies for your own use (Yahoo!) plus as a display to customers. There is a technology buyback program in place, so after you buy the kit (D&H has a special for $3,999 and the kit has over $6,000 in value; learn more here, or contact me directly). More importantly, Frey communicated that the popular kit will be enhanced to include more technology at the start of the year. What’s the enhancement? There will be a server-side combat kit. That fits with Lenovo’s pride in its EMC partnership fueling growth in the company’s server and storage business, plus the recent launch of the ThinkServer line.
No visit with Frey is complete without an understanding on Lenovo’s progress in the channel. Simply stated – it’s got “high positives” in the channel. I’ve been attending and hosting many events lately and no one “hates Lenovo,” which I realize is a backhanded compliment, but you get the point. People accept Lenovo with an honor nod – it’s as good as it gets in the SMB channel, a niche that is naturally skeptical. The “net-net” is that Lenovo is firing on all cylinders, expertly managing any channel conflicts that arise with its other outreach avenues such as retail (yes you can buy Lenovo laptops on Amazon) and truly enjoys mind share in our crowd. It’s also got market share, as it has extended its lead as the number one global PC maker, where the majority of its sales come from the channel. Last quarter, it sold 29-million units, which is about four devices per second.
Future stories to watch? Look for Lenovo to enhance its Post PC devices play with gains in tablets (of course) and SmartPhones. Standby.
For the wonks amongst us geeks, the full Lenovo statement is HERE.
