www.comms-dealer.com
Twickenham Stadium April 1st & 2nd, 2009
VIEWPOINT
ged to sell ‘smarter’
talkingsense
and react more quickly Phil Hambly
to customer enquiries or
Rocom Sales and Marketing Director
supplier issues. And an
Internet telephony service
can enable employees to
work away from base, while
cutting costs and giving
access to value-added
functionality such as unified One of the highlights of my sporting year is the Six Nations
messaging, conferencing tournament. I confess that I’m not built to play rugby. But
or call recording. These despite sneaky uppercuts in the scrum, or the too eager boot
represent just a few ways in in a ruck, there’s something admirable in the sincerity of
which real value-add can post-match handshakes and convivial dinners. It’s reassuring
be offered to customers to to see the same civilised atmosphere in the channel. We
Bill Murphy
enhance their business. operate in a fiercely competitive environment but it’s clear
and mobility services by positioning the right solution at industry gatherings that there is a sense of camaraderie
small and medium-sized on a ‘trusted advisor’ basis.” By knowing what their when you’re not facing each other on a competitive pitch. It
businesses. Nathan Stenson, customers’ priorities and couldn’t be otherwise. All of us – suppliers, distributors and
Director of Wholesale at The challenge is one of goals are, service providers resellers – have to form relationships with each other because
Opal, added: “Despite the selling the benefits that can will be in a better position that makes it possible for the industry as a whole to form
difficulties with the macro- be enabled beyond mere not only to sell services, but open relationships with the mass of our end user customers.
economy, our channel technology. For example, also to forge more enduring Of course, we compete, but in an atmosphere of
partners continue to be a hosted email service relationships that engender mutual respect. Professor Parkinson (of Parkinson’s Law
successful. Some of our can remove the need for loyalty. This also underlines fame) made the neat point that Oxford would be pretty
most successful partners an expensive in-house IT the other key priority for meaningless without Cambridge. Of course, writing
are those that combine this capability. A BlackBerry service providers – keeping about a relationship leads to less confusion than talking
with an ability to engage service can improve the and nurturing existing about it. As Harry Carpenter, commentating on a Boat
consultatively with their speed of decision-making customers. It costs a lot Race, once said, ‘Isn’t that nice. The wife of the Oxford
customers, understanding as workers can access more to acquire a customer President is kissing the cox of the Cambridge crew’.
generic business issues and company data on the move than to retain one. „
BT Local Business
Investment opportunity
The combination of your desire to manage your own business, combined with BT’s market-leading brand, products and
services is a proven formula for success. For the past six years, individuals just like you have received a licence to manage
a BT Local Business and thrived, making considerable return on investment. So what is BT Local Business exactly? It’s a
network of independent small businesses set up as local ‘one stop shops’ to meet all the technology and communications
needs of other small businesses in the local area. BT Local Business comes under the BT Business division of BT Group.
BT Business is responsible for selling IT and communication solutions to small to medium sized companies. Within this,
the BT Local Businesses tend to focus on smaller companies, typically those with less than 50 employees.
If you have the drive, determination, and desire to build your own business then we want to hear from you.
To find out more, contact Simon Grieve on 07918 740 072 or email simon.grieve@bt.com
quoting reference: CDMarch.
www.btlocalbusiness.co.uk/mdrecruitment
‘I wouldn’t be where I am today without
spotting a great new business opportunity.’
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER MARCH 2009 15
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