BUSINESS PROFILE Exciting times in comms
There is no market sector more dynamic and changeable than telecoms, according to Clifford Norton, Managing Director of Channel Telecom, who has become a dab hand at turning challenges and change into exciting market opportunities. Here, Norton discusses the strategic shift that put Channel Telecom on a new course towards next generation communications.
Norton, but with change comes opportunities, he believes. “The market for SaaS provision and hosted comms services is growing at an exponential rate and we are in at the ground floor,” commented Norton. “It’s great to be a part of something this exciting. We’ve moved way beyond lines and minutes. Our SIP Trunking offers full interoperability with most IP phone systems. We now also offer a hosted telephony solution that will soon include advanced contact centre functionality and also a client app for mobiles. For audio conferencing we have a simple, reservationless dial-in audio conferencing service for up to 50 callers. It includes web portal control of calls during conferencing and optional call recording.”
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In terms of network services Channel Telecom offers a choice of voice, data and converged network solutions for its channel partners to market to customers. Norton says that Channel Telecom’s DSL broadband offering includes all the latest variants including Annex-M, and voice assured options. Direct Internet access and MPLS VPNs are also available. “We have implemented large scale MPLS networks
eeping up with the latest innovations is a challenge for everyone, says
voice, data and converged network solutions. Norton said: “Our partners are signing major contracts. We’re looking forward to our first two million pound month in the near future.”
Channel Telecom is channel- only and offers both dealer and reseller models for its partners. “Our dealers sell Channel Telecom-branded services in return for ongoing commission payments, while our resellers onward sell our white labelled portfolio under their own brand, and set their own tariffs,” said Norton.
Clifford Norton
It’s great to be part of something this exciting
for our partners’ customers providing secure multi-site connectivity for voice and data,” confirmed Norton. “In regard to network connectivity there’s no challenge that we cannot provide a solution for.”
This approach is paying off. Norton claims the first
half of 2011 saw record trading for the company culminating in June with its partner channel signing £1 million of contracts in a month for the first time. The big million pound month followed two record quarters for trading in 2011. Much of the new business signed by channel partners was for
Key strength A key strength of Channel Telecom’s service offering is its billing system, provided free as a hosted resource to resellers. Should the reseller wish, Channel Telecom can administer billing using the company’s billing bureau service. The firm has also recruited Peter Cresswell as Operations Manager. He assists partners that require support on technical issues including service provision and billing. Previously Cresswell was a Technical Support Manager for Union Street, Channel Telecom’s preferred billing solution supplier. “There’s nothing Peter doesn’t know about billing and revenue assurance,” enthused Norton. “We are taking on new partners at a rapid rate and
we need to ensure that we have competence in depth to support those channel partners. We want to offer a personal ‘hand-holding’ style of service. Peter’s expertise and dedication to the service ethos will help us to achieve that.”
The comms market has seen consolidation in the aggregated services sector in recent years, and according to Norton this trend has created an opportunity for Channel Telecom to leverage its partner engagement strategy to greater effect by emphasising the ‘personal touch’, an attribute that can be traced back to the firm’s beginnings.
“When we started we wanted to be a new style supplier of wholesale network services based on openness, honesty, simplicity and transparency, with a reputation as a trusted and genuine business partner,” he claimed. “I know that sounds sanctimonious, but listening and being responsive to partner needs and resolving issues quickly and professionally are the bedrock of the Channel Telecom approach. In all respects - portfolio, service wrap and overall commercial proposition - we strive to make it as easy as possible for our channel partners to meet their customers’ needs and therefore to be successful.” n
34 COMMS DEALER OCTOBER 2011
www.comms-dealer.com
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