VAR

New President and CEO at Microcorp

May 29, 2014

On the heels of yesterday's email about buying up master agency bases, Microcorp announced today that Brad Miehl, founder of MicroCorp, will ne replaced as President by Microcorp's current Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Phil Keenan, a 28-year industry veteran.

Karin Fields will take over reigns as both COO and CEO.

Big shift to one of the largest and older master agencies who, according to the email yesterday, is looking to grow through acquisition of other agencies.

The Master Agencies seem to be at the transition stage if you look at the number of management changes that have taken place in the last couple of years.

Posted in VAR, agents, master agency, organizations

A Look at ShoreTel Numbers

May 21, 2014

The WSJ posted revenue numbers from Shoretel. I am taking a guess that these would be industry average or demonstrate what all PBX vendors are seeing. ( could be wrong.)

"Recurring revenues, which consist of cloud monthly recurring revenues and support revenues, represented 40% of total revenue in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 and reached an annualized value of $130 million." So 30-35% of revenues are now coming from HPBX MRC.

Posted in PBX, VAR, hosted uc, unified communications

The UC Install Opprtunity

May 19, 2014

When I talk to UC provider (or Hosted VoIP providers) that sell nationally, the biggest challenge is the customer install. There are a couple of national installers including Endeavor. The feedback I hear is that the current choices are not good. just because you can spell ROUTER doesn't mean you can configure one or find one was just one anecdote.

Posted in CLEC, VAR, certification, channel, msp, unified communications, voip

What's Missing in UC?

May 1, 2014

Why do people think UC is plug and play! Was Microsoft ever plug and play?

The biggest hurdle to Hosted UC installs is a competent technician on-site. Heck, even for telecom installs, a competent tech would be helpful to extend the demarc, run some cat5e or fiber runs, deploy the CPE, turn up the router (and plug it in), check for UPS, etc.

Posted in PBX, VAR, hosted uc, unified communications

Why Pivot?

April 18, 2014

In business, a pivot is a strategy change (especially in Lean Startup processes). When you look at brick-and-mortar companies like RadioShack, Sears/K-Mart, there have been strategy changes but not really what I would call a pivot - or even a course correction. The pivot for B&N was going digital with the Nook (right or wrong it was a pivot). Plaxo pivoted (out of extinction) when it added Pulse.

Posted in VAR, agents, organizations, voip

VADs, VARs and Cable: How Does That Work?

April 2, 2014

Tech Data and Ingram Micro have partnerships to sell network services. Ingram Micro has a deal with CenturyLink and TW Cable. Tech Data has deals with XO and Microcorp (a master agency).

I want to know how the TWC-Ingram deal works.

Posted in VAR, cableco

VARs Threatened by Agents

April 2, 2014

Quite the announcement: "CompTIA: 70% of VARs Concerned About Agents 'Encroaching' on Their Space".

For at least three years CompTIA has been working on partnering VARs with Agents to bring about this converged business that could manage the WAN/LAN/IT of the SME space. Does this figure mean that it failed?

My thinking is that Agents are selling more managed services than before because carriers are pushing them down the throats of their partners.

Posted in VAR, agents, sales and selling

The Channel is Shrinking

February 20, 2014

According to a study reported by Channelomics, "A new report by the Kauffman Foundation, a non-profit economic think tank, finds the number of U.S. technology companies five years or younger has fallen precipitously compared to the peak level in 2001."

One reason cited is consolidation. No kidding.

Posted in VAR, channel, technology, telco

Comcast and Synnex Equals Added Value

September 26, 2013

I hear all the time how Agents don't "Add Value". Curiously, they never explain what that "added value" is supposed to be. Agents get paid to sell your stuff, isn't that value enough?

Even more curious, carriers think VARs will add value - again without expressing what that value will be.

Posted in VAR, agents, master agency

AT&T's New Partner Program

September 12, 2013

Note that this is information I have heard from three different agents about AT&T's new partner program. One even attributed it to ACC Business. I have not confirmed it - nor have I seen the agreement.

There are many different types of distribution channels for AT&T - CLEC, wholesale, resale, rebill, agents, retail, brick-and-mortar and online.

Posted in CLEC, VAR, agents, channel, msp

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