www.comms-dealer.com
Twickenham Stadium April 1st & 2nd, 2009
SPECIAL REPORT
Strategies for success Convergence. “Our resellers are At Westcon Convergence, Brooks
In a difficult financial climate, telling us that businesses won’t says that the distributor spent
customers will only invest in new buy IP in 2009 because nobody much of 2008 in conversation
technologies if they are convinced is going to spend operating or with its key vendors, ascertaining
that they will deliver a genuine and capital expenditure just to refresh whether the right selling skills
measurable return on investment. their dial tone. So, we have to look were being polished in the
As a result, resellers are under more at the applications contained in channel to win deals in a
pressure than ever to demonstrate a vendor’s solution that will help financially tough environment.
the potential cost savings and the reseller deliver the hidden
efficiencies of every permutation silver bullets and drive the sale.” A new two-day programme
of converged communications emerged from these conversations
technology. And they will require Differentiation and focusing on how to sell in an
more from distributors in terms of added value economic downturn, covering
services and product portfolios It’s hardly surprising that education the changes that take place
that embrace increasingly and sales training are rapidly within a business, how they
specific customer scenarios. emerging as major requirements impact on buying patterns and,
Mike Smythe
for distributors to deliver in the crucially, how to spot customers
“In the current downturn, it will be downturn. Distributors that can that are doing well in the crisis.
All of our
difficult to sell ‘nice-to-haves’,” make their resellers as well
says Mark Shane, Sales Manager at prepared for new markets as On the mobile front, distributors
training and ICON. “End-users will be looking for possible will find it easier to like 20:20 are reinforcing their
support is 100
convergence applications which maintain close relationships with ability to offer the channel a one-
will deliver savings and productivity their own channel. And that is stop-shop facility that embraces
per cent free gains and also strengthen their driving a reinvention process in the complete solution from
customer service – and ultimately, the distributor community, away devices and accessories to value-
their bottom line. We see the from box-shifting traditions. “While added services, configuration
main threat as a downturn in our number one priority is making and applications. At Capstan,
plays into their hands, despite demand for more expensive sure a delivery arrives in full and Mike Smythe says a sign of the
shrinking budgets. “It’s the one products, and the challenge on time, we place great emphasis distributor’s strong relationship
component that crops up in every for us is to have the products on education in the channel, not with its channel is the fact that
single project,” says David Hinc, in place which offer real value just from a technical perspective,” it hasn’t lost a single dealer
Sales Director at 20:20’s mobility and can deliver productivity.” says Phil Adams at Nimans. since becoming LG-Nortel’s
solutions division. “The growth of exclusive UK partner in 2005.
VoIP could certainly work in our To meet this challenge, ICON is “It has become a vital area for
favour from a mobile integration betting on two solutions for 2009, us as we continue to help our “All of our training and support is
perspective, because it offers a Fixed Mobile Convergence customers grow and develop and 100 per cent free,” he commented.
such a clear RoI. Applications solution (uMobility) and the move into new areas of business “It’s hardcore and our resellers get
will be the major area of growth, Wave IP business phone system. with confidence. The deployment a lot out of it, which is vital when
line of business applications Other distributors, like single- of IP has further increased the you need to move new stuff into
that extend functionality out to vendor specialist Capstan channel’s thirst for knowledge and the channel very quickly and roll
mobile devices. And as those Communications, are focusing on as the UC market continues to it out to market. Our partners like
propositions mature and the introducing security channels to grow and diversify, it is important the way we work because there’s
different technologies vie for their IP product line (in Capstan’s to offer further levels of advice no voicemail, no queuing systems.
position, we will have a role to play case, LG-Nortel, which is a and support on many levels.” They can talk to us right away.”
„
in adding value as a distributor.” separate entity to the troubled
network giant). “The convergence
Adding value is key to differentiation
At Toshiba BCD distributor SOS of voice and data is an industry
Communications, Technical rather than a technology trend and
“Our vertical workshops are a hit with resellers. They look at
Sales Manager Eddie Fox says we don’t see it as anything new,”
funding models, buying procedures and access routes to
distributors need to use their hard- says Marketing Manager Mike
decision makers. By giving our resellers the tools to pursue new
earned expertise to determine Smythe. “It’s all about IP, which is
market opportunities we are helping them weather the current
which vendors and products a staple of the telecoms market,
market conditions and even prosper as they expand into new
to go for. “The key is to go with but security channels are only now
areas of business. We are already starting to see the benefits of
secure vendors as you can be starting to embrace IP and we’re
this strategy, and we plan to continue offering resellers these
assured that new products will able to bring them together.”
free workshops on a variety of different verticals in 2009.”
be reliable,” he commented.
Kevin Harrison, Avaya Business Unit Manager, Rocom
“In this economic climate, going In other words, however specialist
“Distributors can become indispensable by providing the best
with established companies they might be, distributors are
quality of service to their customers. Equally important is pre-sales
becomes even more important. regrouping around strategies
and after-sales support on the entire product range. Value added
And distributors need to make that make them the ICT sector’s
facilities such as a repair and refurbishment centre can also make
sure resellers can demonstrate a glue, binding different vendors
a significant difference as the distributor can then become a ‘one
return on investment within 9-12 and technology strands together
stop shop’. Offering peripherals such as headsets, or additional
months, which means ensuring in meaningful ways on behalf of
products and services such as call management, mobile phones,
the end customer is happy with their resellers and dealers. “We
sales and technical training, call recording and technical support
their purchase. This can only have to put packages together
and help desks will all help distributors differentiate themselves.”
be achieved through selecting that deliver value to businesses
Eddie Fox, Technical Sales Manager, SOS Communications
flexible and reliable technology.” today,” says Tim Brooks at Westcon
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www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER FEBRUARY 2009 31
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