Zeacom tasks 5i to grow UK sales

Services specialist 5i is targeting the upper echelons of Cisco’s partner network after being tasked with building unified communications (UC) vendor Zeacom’s UK channel.

Zeacom has awarded 5i with Platinum Services Partner status and the Reading-based services outfit has been appointed as the exclusive UK distributor for Zeacom’s operator console products. Managing director of 5i Peter Howells claimed large, Cisco-affiliated integrators with public sector expertise would be ideal partner recruits.

Howells also indicated that Cisco phasing out its Attendant Console product left a fruitful gap in the market. “With Cisco end-of-lifing its console offering, it gives us an opportunity,” he said.

“This product takes UC to the next level and there is a gap in the market for it. We are looking for quality UC resellers. This would be an ideal product for the likes of Computacenter or Dimension Data.”

Howells revealed that he was hoping to recruit upwards of five partners over the next year and claimed that the Zeacom offering could be lucrative for VARs. “Not only do resellers get to make margin, but they get to offer wrap-around services as well,” he said.

5i and the vendor have worked together for about five years and Zeacom Europe general manager Samuel Williams claimed it was an ideal choice to help build his company’s channel.

“We looked at a number of partners, but 5i is the best equipped to deliver the wrap around to our product offering. This is not just a logistics agreement.”