Adobe was the first major software company to completely move its product into the cloud, a bold move that many of its contemporaries are still hesitating over.

For Adobe, the decision has paid off: the company is enjoying record revenues and a high level of repeat business.

For end user customers, a cloud subscription means they are always guaranteed of the latest versions and updates; while reseller partners can benefit from annuity revenues.

Sima Mabizela, Adobe product manager at Axiz.

Sima Mabizela, Adobe product manager at Axiz, explains that the distributor makes it easy for the reseller to be a value-added partner that end users trust and keep coming back to.

“The main value-add for partners is that they are in contact with us, and we are in contact with them,” she explains. “And they are not just talking to a voice in the call centre, or a stranger on the other side of the keyboard, but with human beings.

“We are there and available to help partners to get registered, to get certified, and to maximise the tools they have available to use.”

For instance, Mabizela and her team are on hand to help partners manage their console, and can guide them through it in person, on the phone, or remotely assisting them with assigning licenses and tracking renewals.

“We support the reseller in a variety of ways,” Mabizela explains. “And we can also offer support to the end user, in partnership with and as a representative of, the reseller.”

The services offered by Axiz help resellers to manage their customers better and ensure the annuity income that flows from having satisfied users.

“It means the customer comes back and renews all the time,” Mabizela points out.

To help manage these renewals, a full-time staff member at Axiz prompts the resellers about any renewals that are coming up.

“Yes, Adobe sends reminders, but we go further and advise the reseller which customers are up for renewal and for which products. This gives the reseller all the details he needs to remind the end user and to ensure that the correct licensing is done in time.”

One of the flagship products the Adobe offers is Adobe Creative Cloud, a set of applications and services that gives subscribers access to a collection of software used for graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, along with a set of mobile applications and also some optional cloud services.

In Creative Cloud, a monthly or annual subscription service is delivered over the Internet. Software from Creative Cloud is downloaded from the Internet, installed directly on a local computer and used as long as the subscription remains valid. Online updates and multiple languages are included in the CC subscription.

The Adobe Creative Cloud retains many of the features of Adobe Creative Suite and introduces new features foremost is the instant availability of upgrades, saving to the cloud, and easier sharing.

Adobe offers four tiers of the Creative Cloud subscription service for individuals:

  • Photography, which contains some photography-related features of Adobe Creative Cloud and access to Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC.
  • Single App, which contains all the features of Creative Cloud plus access to a single application of the user’s choice in the suite out of a list of 11 selected applications.
  • All Apps, the main tier of Creative Cloud that contains all the features of Creative Cloud plus access to all applications within the suite.
  • All Apps + Adobe Stock, which contains all the standard features of Creative Cloud plus features for Adobe Stock.

For enterprises (corporate and government), Adobe software is available under three programmes: VIP (value incentive plan), CMP (cumulative licensing progamme) and TLP (transactional licensing programme).

The VIP programme offers subscription licensing with term lengths of one to three years and loyalty options. Licensing management is via an online tool that lets resellers easily manage licences, users and deployments.

The products available under VIP are Creative Cloud for teams, Creative Cloud for enterprise and Adobe Acrobat DC.

The CLP is perpetual licencing through a two-year agreement that gives users access to Acrobat 2017 and all other desktop products.

Volume discounts accrue cumulatively, and companies can extend these discounts to affiliates and subsidiaries.

Licensing deployment and management is through the Adobe Licensing Website (LWS).

The TLP also offer perpetual licensing. Unlike the CLP, this programme is the one-time purchasing of desktop products and there are no contracts involved.

All Adobe desktop products as well as Acrobat 2017 are covered by the TLP.

Licensing deployment and management is through the Adobe Licensing Website (LWS).