The Differentiator: PIT for Modeling Profitable Cisco 360 Deals

The Netformx Pipeline Insight Tool (PIT) is enabling partners to operationalize the best practices.
PIT provides:

• Estimate & Deal Management
• CPI Insights & Calculations
• Deal Modeling & What-If Analysis
• Margin Optimization
• Alternate SKU & Bundle Recommendations

It’s not just visibility — it’s execution intelligence.

Real-World Use Case: CPI Calculator in Action

Here is a real world scenario. A large $1.4M deal with low CPI mix effectiveness.

What the Netformx Analysis Revealed:

• Majority of SKUs generated no CPI rebate
• License selection impacted incentives
  • C9300-48P-A (3% rebate) vs. C9300-48P-E (0% rebate)
• Missed opportunity to include CPI Preferred Devices
• Bundling strategies not leveraged
• Additional discount options available
• Preferred Specialization alone had no impact without Secure Networking Specialization

The Outcome:

With better SKU selection, bundling, and CPI-aligned positioning:

• Profitability could have increased by over 50%
• Specializations alone drove over 150% CPI improvement
• Alternatives and bundles could increase profitability even without specialization investment

A View of PIT Dashboards that Reveal the Insight

See the 3 screenshots below that explain where to look for the insights.

Large BOM with Low CPI Rebate: What PIT Exposed

Legend :

1. PIT enables side-by-side comparison of CPI and VIP performance
2. On a nearly $1.4M deal, the projected CPI rebate is only just over $13K
3. The current product mix is inefficient—most of the BOM is not CPI-eligible, significantly limiting profitability
   • Mix Efficiency – how the mix of SKUs performs for CPI
   • Rebate Efficiency – How this BoM’s rebate compares to the maximum possible for this BoM

What-If Analysis: Optimizing ROI on Specializations

PIT allows partners to run what-if scenarios to uncover opportunities and identify where you can invest money to be more successful:

1. What-if Buttons to toggle on and off for the revised scenario
2. Preferred status may not increase base CPI, but it is required to unlock bonus incentives.
3. Click the Preferred Partner button to view current (C) and maximum (M) rebate bonuses
4. Run what-if scenarios on both products and services.
5. See how the Rebate Average and Rebate Efficiency changes increasing profitability

BOM Review: Preferred Partner with Specializations Scenario

Here’s a what-if scenario partners use as a competitive advantage to assess positioning versus competitors. Partner status can be verified using the Cisco Partner Locator tool.

1. In this BOM example, specialization significantly impacted outcomes—driving over 150% increase in CPI.
2. There is no increase in Mix efficiency – that could be obtained by alternatives and bundles. The specialization bonuses increase overall incentive.
3. Additional value can be unlocked through alternatives and bundles

Partners can confirm competitor status through the Cisco Partner Locator and strategically model their positioning for maximum advantage.

To explore this PIT differentiator in more detail, read our blog: “Powering the Pre-Sales Revenue Engine Under Cisco 360 with Best Practices.”

Have questions? Contact support@netformx.com
Ready to get started with the Pipeline Insight Tool? Request a demo or reach out to Sales@netformx.com.