High-definition videoconferencing (VC) vendor LifeSize has appointed Maverick’s Convergent business as its sole UK distributor. To date, its route to market in the UK has been through five VC resellers.
Simon Dudley, director of sales, EMEA, at LifeSize, told CRN: “Our direct VARs are pure VC specialists, but we now want to reach a broader type of VAR as the amount of business we’re getting cannot be looked after by our existing partners alone.”
Dudley is looking for Convergent to encourage IT resellers into selling VC. “Selling VC can really help an IT VAR differentiate itself,” he said. “But VARs need to show it to people. If all goes well, Convergent will bring in half our business by the end of the year.”
Kris Davies, business manager of Convergent, said: “We will be launching an accreditation programme for LifeSize, but it will only be for those who truly want to invest in VC in a big way. Resellers can still sell LifeSize without becoming accredited. LifeSize doesn’t want VC to be a niche product for just a handful of specialists to sell – it wants all types of resellers to be able to sell it.”
As VC is a new area for Maverick, Convergent has recruited a VC specialist to its team so it can offer technical expertise.
“It is a compliment to us that LifeSize chose us as its sole distributor. It could have gone with a traditional VC distributor,” added Davies.
Andrew Paul Smith, senior associate at AV analyst Sandy Brown SM&W, said: “Convergent is focusing on the IT market so this will be a good fit for LifeSize. The IT market holds considerable potential for all AV manufacturers if they would just get behind it.”
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