Crane makes introductions

Telecoms distributor Crane is attempting to play match-maker and unite its Avaya IP Office resellers with Microsoft's CRM partners.

A "speed-dating" networking event, to be held at Microsoft's campus in Reading on Friday, has already attracted 120 resellers.

Tim Brooks, director of Avaya SME business at Crane, said several resellers have already joined with Microsoft VARs.

"We want to ensure that our channel can provide integration between Microsoft CRM and IP Office," said Brooks.

"We expect some Avaya resellers will want to take Microsoft CRM into their portfolio, and we also expect to see interest from Microsoft resellers in Avaya. If relationships are created between the two groups, it will be a success."

Annette Giardina, CRM business director at Aspective, said the firm, a Microsoft-accredited CRM reseller, always partners with specialist resellers on telephony projects.

"It's always helpful to build a partner ecosystem, and good partners are going out and doing things themselves," she said. "If you can partner with a multitude of companies to offer a choice, that's of real benefit."

However, she added that different customers need different partnerships. "It's not much use going to a customer with a Cisco network and not being able to offer Call Manager," she said.

Separately, Cisco announced connectors for its Call Manager Express IP telephony product that will allow interoperation with Microsoft CRM. Other telephony vendors have also announced support for the new platform.

ben_tudor@vnu.co.uk