RESELLER SPOTLIGHT
www.comms-dealer.com
Siptel’s winning strategy
PROFILE: STEVE RASMUSSEN
Despite tough economic conditions,
Steve Rasmussen, Sales Director
of Guildford-based Siptel, reports
ongoing business growth and
partnership success having achieved
a Platinum from Avaya. Here’s how...
Public bodies will continue to
A
sk Rasmussen to define spend as government stimulates
luck and he may tell you the economy, while commercial
that it’s a combination of groups remain keen to cut costs
timing and application with proven technology that
– his company’s ongoing growth delivers a highly visible RoI.”
despite the recession would bear
him out. “We specialise only in Siptel has expanded from its
the new technologies – SIP and Guildford HQ and now has satellite
IP Telephony – and we exist only offices in London and Leeds.
to be an increasingly influential Rasmussen commented: “Our
provider of sophisticated and engineering presence covers the
elegant IT, voice and data solutions UK, and because many of our
to companies in the mid to large clients have overseas interests,
corporate range. Our clients our chaps need their passports.
cover two to 10,000 users and can We design, project manage
extend up to 500 sites. Without partners, while working at arm’s continued each year at anything and commission from the UK but
getting into a shopping list, we do length, are representing the from around 100 to 400 per cent. we’ve worked with partners in
everything from contact centres brand to a universal audience.” Of course, it has been lower in the China, Singapore, Dubai and
to unified messaging, network past year but we are still on an Europe. We haven’t set out to
services to infrastructure and Rasmussen concedes that Siptel’s upward trend. There are important be international but the world
call logging to consultancy.” launch was easier to implement contributing factors. We are an seems to be coming to us.”
five years ago than would be engineering focused company
Rasmussen was an Avaya veteran possible now, but the principles with highly trained people Rasmussen sees the recession biting
when he founded Siptel in 2003, he applied then are contributing accredited in all our key disciplines until late 2010 at best. “Fortunately,
and the connection continues. to continuing growth in current of IT, voice and data and we are we are cash positive and have
Siptel has just been awarded tense conditions. “I started work our own reference site. We know contracted revenues to underpin
Platinum Enterprise Business Partner on the launch in November 2003 every aspect of every application growth – albeit at a slower rate.
status with Joint Service Delivery and spent six months on the set we sell inside out,” he said. I suppose we are now revisiting
(JSD) as part of the UK Avaya up. It’s easy enough to make a lessons that our grandparents
Business Partner Programme. This start with a single order and some “We also benefit from strong learned the hard way, and by
is an initiative that certifies Value notes on the back of a fag packet recurring long-term revenues recalling their experiences we’ll
Added Resellers to sell, implement but it limits your prospects. I had to from a carefully selected client probably manage things better,”
and maintain Avaya systems, make sure that everything was in base. You could compare it to a he added. “The business cycle will
applications and services, and place from the IT infrastructure to stock market investor’s defensive pick up again and we’ll be ready.
recognises their performance in the processes, the website to the portfolio. We are not dependent I’ve identified where I intend to
all aspects of their businesses. corporate ID and the brochures. on a single vertical but have a strengthen Siptel’s sales team when
Siptel started trading in April 2004 balanced presence across public the time is right. And I’m glad of two
“We’ve worked hard to achieve and, because we had taken time service sectors such as health things: The first is that we don’t sell
this,” says Rasmussen. “Avaya set to get things right in advance, we care and education together with legacy systems. The second is that,
the bar pretty high and analysed carried the aura of an established, commercial verticals that include despite economic conditions, we
us thoroughly. Our business model, serious player from day one.” travel and financial services. haven’t had to let anyone go.”
n
training procedures, service
ability, marketing skills and, of His strategy was clearly successful.
course, revenue objectives and Siptel’s earliest clients included
We are an engineering
achievements, all came under the Hyundai Motors HQ and the
focused company with
close scrutiny. The programme BA London Eye. “We ended the
shows how seriously Avaya first year in profit and with the highly trained people
takes the channel because its launch loan repaid. Growth has
For help and support in the mobile market
Call: 0800 019 8900
Look there’s big money in mobile
It’s easy with Chess Telecom
email: mobile@chesstelecom.com
www.chesstelecom.com
22 COMMS DEALER MAY 2009 www.comms-dealer.com
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