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Capstan eyes enterprise

Capstan Communications is bolstering its LG-Nortel
portfolio with the launch of two new products for
the IP-based call management platform, IPECS.
According to Executive Director, Geoff Girdler,
the move will consolidate LG-Nortel’s position in
the small business market, and help the company
gain ground in the UK enterprise space.
irdler has noted a still make up 95 per cent of sales
G
shift within Capstan and have been responsible for
away from its a successful year at Capstan.
position in the sub- “These tools will enable our
50 extension environment to dealers to win more business,”
offering systems reaching into the he stated. “And entice dealers
lower enterprise space. “Since of larger systems to look again
we launched IPECS a year ago, at the LG-Nortel portfolio.”
there’s been a fundamental
shift in our business. LGE and LG- Capstan is the exclusive UK
Nortel have always been strong distributor of the Korean firm
players in the SME market, but LG-Nortel’s call server products,
IPECS is taking us into much larger and carries only LG-Nortel stock.
Geoff Girdler
environments. It will ultimately While LG-Nortel may not be as
support up to 1,200 ports.” well known in the UK telecoms making sure the product is ready that goes into details like search
enterprise market as other big for the UK. “It’s very much a tried engine optimisation for websites.
The new products, Network names, its strength overseas and and tested solution,” he explains. “We practise what we preach,”
Management System (IPECS-NMS) the power of its brand in other “We launched IPECS last year, says Girdler. “We believe in the
and Unified Communications product lines are creating good but globally it was already phase IP environment and use it to the
Software (IPECS-UCS), add web- opportunities for resellers. “Ten five of the product and had been fullest extent that we can; and
based remote management tools years ago people were aware selling since 2002. Outside of the more we involve our resellers
and a full collaboration suite to the of LG but it was associated with Korea, we have more knowledge in buying into that process the
IPECS toolset respectively. Once lower cost and value brands,” said of LG-Nortel product than anyone easier it becomes to sell.”
partners are comfortable with Girdler. “Now it’s one of the biggest else. We have incredibly valued
the new technology, Girdler says providers of cellular phones, a experience in our team which our Despite the ambitious plans to
that his team will help them grow leading supplier of LCD screens resellers benefit from every day.” grow the company into new
with the distributor into corporate and the brand is everywhere, that’s markets, Smythe is keen not to lose
markets. “We’ll be introducing these a phenomenal invisible marketing Capstan is also proactive when it sight of the fact that one of its most
concepts over the next 12 months scenario for us, which we get the comes to passing that knowledge attractive points for new partners is
to our current partners on an up- benefit of every single day.” on to its partners and provides free the small size and feel of Capstan.
to-300 port basis,” says Capstan’s training for all partners, and has
Head of Marketing, Mike Smythe. The relationship between Girdler’s embraced web-based tools to “We have no aspiration to become
“During Q3 we plan to introduce team and LG-Nortel has been back up on site demonstrations. a faceless distie that is just in the
new data switching products that consolidated by the amount of It’s produced hours of online video box moving game,” he says.
will allow us to offer single-vendor investment Capstan has made and delivers marketing advice “There’s only 16-17 of us in the
converged networks that reach company, and there are a lot
up into the enterprise space, using of family relationships within that
the larger IPECS call servers.”
Since we launched IPECS
We’re very flexible and friendly
a year ago, there’s been a
as a business, and we don’t try to
Smythe is quick to point out that play like the big boys. We try to do
the company isn’t abandoning fundamental shift in our business things differently and with more of
its small business customers that a personal touch.”
n
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16 COMMS DEALER MARCH 2010 www.comms-dealer.com
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