Panasonic TOUGHBOOK launches ELEVATE, a tiered partner program featuring deal registration, certified training, and performance incentives.
Panasonic TOUGHBOOK has fundamentally restructured its European channel partner program. Under the name “ELEVATE,” the manufacturer of rugged mobile devices is launching a deeply revised partner framework that the company describes as the most significant evolution of its channel-centric go-to-market strategy in the 30-year history of the TOUGHBOOK product line. Key components include tiered reseller levels, a formalized deal registration system, a certified training offering, and clearly defined financial incentives — all designed to give the company’s channel ecosystem a new foundation.
Three Tiers, One Goal: Reliability in the Channel
ELEVATE is structured around three reseller tiers — Authorised, Expert, and Elite — supplemented by a certified ISV track and a dedicated distributor network. This creates a clear hierarchy that promises tangible value for both newer market entrants and established partners alike.
At the heart of the program is a formal deal registration system designed to give partners commercial predictability and stability in their sales pipelines. When registering opportunities, partners receive transparent pricing information combined with premium discounts — a mechanism that can prove critical in competitive tender situations.
Basecamp: Knowledge as a Competitive Advantage
Alongside the commercial structure, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK has expanded its training platform, Basecamp. The platform is aimed at both new resellers approaching rugged mobility for the first time and experienced providers looking to deepen their expertise. Three learning paths organize the content: Rugged Fundamentals, Winning with TOUGHBOOK, and TOUGHBOOK Technical Expertise.
Partners who complete a certification receive shareable digital badges and certificates. These credentials not only demonstrate competency externally but also unlock additional benefits within the deal registration system — a clear incentive to invest in skill development.
Elite Resellers Gain Exclusive Growth Tools
For partners at the highest TOUGHBOOK tier — Elite Resellers — expanded strategic opportunities become available. They can develop joint annual channel growth plans with Panasonic, conduct quarterly business reviews, and benefit from channel partner recruitment incentives. Performance-based rebates tied to agreed revenue targets round out the offering. Authorized distributors receive dedicated support from Panasonic account management teams.
Anniversary Year with an Investment Push
The launch of ELEVATE coincides with TOUGHBOOK’s 30th anniversary year in Europe — and Panasonic is using this milestone for a broad investment push. Highlights include the expansion of Service & Solutions Centers in Cardiff and Budapest, further development of its Mobile IT-as-a-Service (MaaS) full-lifecycle offering, and the introduction of new AI-powered TOUGHBOOK rugged devices built around the “Engineered for Motion” design philosophy.
These parallel investments in infrastructure, software, and hardware signal that ELEVATE is not an isolated sales initiative but part of a comprehensive repositioning effort in the European market.
„ELEVATE gives our partners the commercial structure, predictability, and financial incentives they need to run their business with confidence. In a market where channel reliability matters more than ever, ELEVATE creates the stability partners need to plan, invest, and grow.“
— Damien Fernandez, European Partner & Channel Manager, Panasonic TOUGHBOOK
Fernandez added: Over the past three decades, Panasonic has earned the trust of first responders and professionals in business-critical and safety-critical environments by developing rugged mobility solutions that keep mobile workers connected and productive in any environment. ELEVATE transfers that decades-long trust to the partner ecosystem — creating a reliable framework for a consistently channel-first future.
Dr. Jakob Jung is Editor-in-Chief of Security Storage and Channel Germany. He has been working in IT journalism for more than 20 years. His career includes Computer Reseller News, Heise Resale, Informationweek, Techtarget (storage and data center) and ChannelBiz. He also freelances for numerous IT publications, including Computerwoche, Channelpartner, IT-Business, Storage-Insider and ZDnet. His main topics are channel, storage, security, data center, ERP and CRM.
Contact via Mail: jakob.jung@security-storage-und-channel-germany.de