Advertorial What it means to be a true market leader


Why Promethean’s success in EdTech extends far be- yond the Numbers Over the past 20 years, Promethe- an’s technology offering has evolved quite substantial- ly, but one element that has remained very much the same is Promethean’s commitment to education. It is this passion for teaching and learning that has elevat- ed Promethean to become the market leader, securing the greatest market share in the UK and Ireland in K12 all displays* (Futuresource Q2 2019).


London Christian School pupil using the ActivPanel.


The last two decades have seen Promethean take great pride in be- ing close to education, championing the involvement of educators in the development of hardware and software solutions, designed specifically for use in classroom environments. As relatively late entrants to the IFPD market it has been no easy journey, but through determination and commitment to the right channel, market and product strategies, Promethean has been able to not only supply schools with the award-winning ActivPanel through its network of channel partners, but also invest in initia- tives that strengthen channel and school relationships with Pro- methean as a trusted and pioneering manufacturer partner. “Market leadership has been a clear goal of ours as part of a five-year plan that uses market insights and business intelligence to project the business. We are extremely fortunate to work with a network of partners that share the same visions as us – and they have been instrumental in what we have achieved and will contin- ue to achieve,” commented Alistair Hayward, Promethean Head of UKI and ANZ Markets.


Dynamic partner relationships


One of the most notable successes in recent years has been the Promethean Partner Accreditation Programme. Established to reward partners that share the same visions and values as Pro- methean, this programme facilitates support across key areas such as training, demonstrations and marketing. Relationships between Promethean and its partners have flourished through the programme; partners have extra confidence when selling the Ac- tivPanel and Promethean benefits from knowing partners are ful- ly equipped with the information they need to deliver exemplary service. By sharing knowledge and encouraging positive relation- ships, Promethean partners realise sales and market potential. As part of the Partner Accreditation Programme and a commit- ment to sharing expertise, Promethean has made substantial in- vestments in its Strategic Operations team to be able to expand on work with partners to secure large tenders and develop robust strategies for many multi-academy trusts. Promethean has active- ly delivered in excess of 1200 demonstrations over the past 36 months – solidifying Promethean’s commitment to both partners and schools.


Earlier this year Promethean launched ‘Certified Installer Train- ing’, to enhance and build on the success of the Promethean Partner Accreditation Programme. Driven by the need to provide partners with the knowledge and skills to deliver a first class IFPD installation, that will ultimately improve quality, service and cus- tomer experience, the new comprehensive training is available to all channel partners. On completion of the training, the partner is awarded ‘Promethean Certified Installer’ status which acts as mark of quality, giving schools increased confidence when investing in the Promethean ActivPanel, and partners more confidence in in- stallation and troubleshooting. With the ‘Certified Installer Status’ and new knowledge of troubleshooting, these partners get priority access to support services.


Since its launch, there have been 13 courses run across the UK and Ireland with 127 people gaining ‘Promethean Certified Installer’ status. There are currently 11 courses planned for the 2019/20 academic year. The training has been a huge success in the UK and Ireland and has since been rolled out as part of the Promethean Partner Accreditation Programme in Australia, soon be launched in other territories. “The Promethean Partner Accreditation Programme has un- derpinned the close relationships we have with our partners and helped us to secure UK market leadership. It continues to evolve and improve to make sure we stay ahead of the game and that we have the best partner relationships in the industry – the roll out of the Certified Installer Training is a great example of this and I’d urge partners to undertake the certification if you haven’t already done so,” added Alistair.


Using tablet devices with the ActivPanel at Oak Hill School The state of technology in education


A music lesson using the ActivPanel at Oak Hill School. Partner-driven support


When technical problems arise, quick fixes and limited disrup- tion to installation processes or lessons is the ultimate objective. Promethean recognises that time is extremely valuable and has invested significantly in its customer support infrastructure to en- sure exemplary standards of service are maintained – now, more than ever as the business leads the IFPD market. The enhanced support service offered by Promethean is truly omni-channel, meaning partners and end users can reach the Pro- methean support team via live chat, call or email. On average, Promethean currently answers calls in less than 30 seconds, and 95 percent of customers get through to support on their first click of the live chat. Partners can also benefit from access to support services via Atlas, the Promethean partner communications por- tal, optimised for mobile devices. Taking on board feedback from partners, Promethean has launched a brand-new support website that is streamlined and boasts easy navigation. There are libraries of commonly used downloads and new and improved tutorials that answer frequently asked questions and queries – providing much needed support for installers on the road or teachers in the classroom.


For the love of education


Being the market leader extends far beyond financial performance or industry benchmarking. That’s why, through close relationships developed with educators around the country, Promethean is truly embedded in the teaching and learning landscape. For example, Promethean has invested in a series of initiatives to help schools gain access to the latest front of class technologies without having to worry about budgetary pressures. The Promethean Grant and #ClassroomStory competition have put a spotlight on incredible teachers and learners around the UK and rewarded schools with 65 ActivPanels in the past two years.


These initiatives are a great way for partners to engage with the schools they work with and can be an excellent opportunity to make introductions to local schools.


As an evolution of the Promethean Grant, the #ClassroomStory competition sets out to find educators who have inspiring stories to tell. Stories about workload, wellbeing and record numbers of teachers leaving the profession dominate UK headlines, in what some are calling a crisis in education. Whilst the challenges ed- ucators face need addressing, it is vital to celebrate some of the amazing work teachers do, and the impact on the lives of their stu- dents. The #ClassroomStory competition, which is due to launch for its second term, invites educators to share their best teaching moments to be in with the chance of winning a state-of-the-art ActivPanel package. More information about the competition can be found at www.classroomstory.co.uk.


Over the past four years Promethean has also been commission- ing the State of Technology in Education Report to gain a deeper understanding of thoughts on topics such as edtech, budgets, at- tainment, workload and wellbeing. The survey of thousands of UK school leaders, teachers and ICT professionals has begun to plot trends in the education sector across the four-year period. Promethean has been able to use insights from the report to bol- ster its offering to schools. For example, the State of Technology in Education Report 2018/19 identified that only five percent of respondents believed they benefited from full training and support on new technologies - this was a recurring trend in previous years with educators also citing budget as a key challenge. Promethean has enhanced its delivery of orientation training to ensure educa- tors are confident using edtech in the classroom when investing in the ActivPanel.


Look out for the latest Promethean State of Technology in Educa- tion Report 2019/20 online.


“Promethean has always known that market leadership can’t sim- ply be achieved by selling an amazing product. This is why we have pioneered education initiatives like the Promethean Grant, the #ClassroomStory competition and the State of Technology in Education Report, to demonstrate our passion and commitment to best practice in the education sector. We live and breathe teaching and learning at Promethean through our daily interactions with teachers and this is a way we can give back to education,” said Alistair.


The Promethean ActivPanel


While Promethean has long invested heavily in education initiatives and channel operations, market leadership could not be achieved without the continuous development of a product offering which meets the needs of both teachers and students as the modern classroom and curriculums evolve.


This is why the award-winning Promethean ActivPanel has always had teaching and learning at its core, leading it to become the preferred interactive flat panel display in classrooms around the UK and internationally.


Designed specifically for education, the Android-powered Ac- tivPanel boasts a range of tools, resources and functionalities that enhance teaching and learning environments. In addition to offering the most natural writing experience on the market, the ActivPanel provides access to a wide range of educational apps and facilitates connectivity such as device mirroring with students’ personal devices – acting as a central hub in the classroom. Alistair concludes: “As a manufacturer, it’s important that we drive forward product innovation in line pedagogical developments. And as a company focusing exclusively on education, this means staying ahead of what schools need when it comes to technology enhancing lesson delivery and student engagement. We might offi- cially be the market leader for IFPDs, but this doesn’t mean we’ll rest on our laurels. Our responsibility now is to continue setting a new benchmark for what education should expect from us, in relation to our hardware/software offering, our commitment and support to education – and the investment we make in delivering a best-in-class channel operation.”


* Market data from Futuresource Q2 2019 Promethean no. 1 mar- ket share in UKI in K12 all displays


AV News September 2019


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