Reseller buying group Brigantia has signed a strategic partnership with Retail Profiling Consultants (RPC) to allow its 533 resellers to receive free on-site vendor training.

RPC, which is 11 years old, aims to increase awareness and knowledge of vendors’ products, services and promotions among VARs.

Eight vendors have already signed up to the programme: Allied Westminster, APC, BullGuard, Bunker BackUp, Cosmi, OKI, Time Maps and Western Digital.

Mike Evans, managing director of RPC, said: “Independent retailers historically have not benefited from the on-site access to key vendors that the major multiples enjoy. This programme will bring the vendor-reseller relationship much closer.”

Under the scheme, Brigantia members select a vendor from the list and commit their sales teams to a meeting at their own premises. Each member can choose up to four vendors.

Iain Shaw, Brigantia director, said: “RPC has joined us as an associate member. We brought it in because we needed face-to-face training for our reseller members. The deal is good for business and will increase the amount of through spend from our vendors.”

Martin Ebbage, sales director at OKI Europe, said: “RPC is very skilled and committed to providing this training. The benefit to us is that it will help promote OKI products to resellers that might not normally come across us.”