Cisco formally recognises Zen under new SMB & mid-market programme

Zen has achieved the Cisco SMB and Mid-Market Business Practice – an invitation-only recognition within Cisco’s new Cisco 360 Partner Programme.

We know that probably sounds like a lot of industry terminology. So here’s the bit that actually matters.
It reflects Cisco’s recognition of Zen’s ability to support SMB and mid-market organisations with the technology, expertise and customer experience needed to help them get the most from modern networking environments.

This is also the second Cisco recognition that Zen has achieved this year, following the Cisco Customer Excellence Specialisation announced earlier in 2026.

What is the Cisco SMB & Mid-Market Business Practice?

In simple terms, it’s Cisco formally recognising partners that have demonstrated the capability to support SMB and mid-market customers effectively.
Unlike some traditional vendor accreditations, this isn’t purely focused on technical certifications.
Instead, it looks more broadly at areas including:

•    Customer support and lifecycle experience
•    Technical networking expertise
•    Sales and solution capability
•    Marketing and customer engagement
•    Operational readiness and tooling

The programme is invitation-only, with Cisco inviting Zen to apply based on our existing activity and experience within the SMB and mid-market space.

Why this matters

Historically, technology partner programmes often focused heavily on customer sales.
Cisco’s approach places much more emphasis on customer outcomes, ongoing support and long-term value.
That means recognising partners that can help organisations not only buy technology, but successfully adopt, manage and grow with it over time.

That shift aligns closely with how we already work with customers.

As businesses continue to modernise networks, support hybrid working, strengthen security and connect more cloud-based services, the quality of the support behind the technology matters just as much as the technology itself.

What this means for customers

Customers probably aren’t interested in the mechanics of Cisco partner programmes – and rightly so.
What matters is what those programmes say about the companies Cisco chooses to recognise.
For our customers, this recognition reinforces that Zen is continuing to invest in the skills, knowledge and customer experience needed to support modern business networking environments.

That includes areas such as:
•    Networking and connectivity
•    Security
•    Managed networking
•    Cisco Meraki solutions
•    Customer lifecycle support

It also strengthens Zen’s relationship with Cisco, helping us continue to build expertise and access additional resources that support our customers.

Building on our Cisco partnership

This latest recognition builds on the Cisco Customer Experience Specialisation achieved earlier this year.
Taken together, both recognitions reflect a continued investment in how we support customers across the full technology lifecycle – from initial conversations and solution design through to ongoing support and long-term success.

And while partner frameworks and competencies may not always make exciting reading, the underlying goal is straightforward: helping businesses work with partners that are recognised for both technical capability and customer experience.

That’s exactly where we want to be.

Find out more

If you’d like to learn more about Zen’s networking, security and managed service capabilities, get in touch with our team.