MARKET REPORT Voice & Data Distribution
Voice, Data and Mobile Distribution
Is distribution still relevant in a digital world? Comms Business Magazine looks at the key issues for channel
distributors and how partners should pick a distributor based on their specialisms and value adds not just on
their logistics alone
In a technology world that
is increasingly based on
software applications that
are delivered to business on a
cloud-based consumption model
you would think that the role
of the distributor is becoming
increasingly irrelevant – but that
would be wrong.
Aside from all the hardware
still shipping that needs the
professional logistics treatment
from a professional distributor
there are a number of other
roles that have become more
prominent in this digital age.
For instance, the vendor
relationship should not be
underestimated at a time when
the sheer volume of applications
and products on the market has
grown at an exponential rate.
Here the advice the distributor
can provide channels is
invaluable.
Let’s see what the distributors
themselves have to say about
this.
How are distributors helping
resellers drive new business
models and extract more value
out of deals?
According to David Watts,
Manging Director at Tech
Data UK and Ireland, the role
of distribution is denitely
changing very signicantly.
“Tech Data is now very much
an enabler for resellers as they
transform their businesses for
the third platform or digital
era. A lot of changes are taking
place at dierent levels right
now. End-user customers are
shifting from a pure on-premises
approach to IT, to cloud-based
and hybrid. Mobility is being
fully embraced and organisations
and business processes are being
remodelled around digital.
Emerging technologies such as
machine learning, AI, analytics
and IoT are making it possible
to do things that simply could
not be done before. All this is
generating a lot of data, which
has to be managed eciently
and securely.”
Hanspeter Eiselt, VP of
Marketing at Nuvias believes
value-added distributors can
help resellers keep pace with
evolving business requirements
and with scoping opportunities,
targeting the right deals and
oering the most complete and
tailored solution, supported by
ancillary services.
“VADs should provide the
expertise, both business and
technical, to help analyse specic
business requirements, bearing
in mind legacy environments,
regulatory compliance,
technology trends and futureproo
ng. Architecting madeto
measure, composite solutions
and helping customers maintain
them is something resellers,
especially small and mediumsized
ones appreciate help with.
Integration with existing IT
environments is increasingly
necessary and requires deep
expertise.
Conguration and
maintenance are additional
services that can help resellers
oer a more complete service
and extend their opportunity
for long-term business. e
XaaS IT consumption model is
gaining ground and demands
a wide range of services on tap,
which need to be supported
by robust resources and
infrastructure. is is where
VADs come into their own to
provide the support network for
channel partners.”
Tom Maxwell, Head of
Dealer Sales at Nimans, says his
company always look to help
their resellers cross-sell.
“Whether that’s in terms of
attachment rates by adding
complementary products to
existing core solutions or by
introducing new technologies
such as security and CCTV -
which enables them to deploy
additional IP services. A natural
progression of voice, data and
IP becomes a seamless t.
We nd resellers are
continually reviewing their
portfolios as technology
continues to evolve. Gone are
the days of putting a phone
system on the wall and plugging
in ISDN or analogue lines.
It’s much more sophisticated
than that especially around the
cloud. It’s about delivering an
overall solution rather than just
a product sale and we are here
to help in many dierent ways.
Whether selling cloud-based,
hybrid or traditional on-premise
platforms; resellers need to
facilitate them all.”
Darren Garland, Managing
Director of ProVu, said “We
work closely with our partners
to address their needs. Over
the years this has led us to
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24 | Comms Business Magazine | January 2020 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
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