Bullish distributor DNS Arrow has poached Trustmarque’s IBM business from rival Computer 2000 (C2000) as the VAR looks to ramp up its Big Blue software business.
The distributor recently hired a dedicated IBM Software specialist and seconded two IBM employees to help drive growth.
Chris Oldacre, software solutions sales specialist at DNS Arrow, said: “Trustmarque is a fully strategic win for us. It is a big Microsoft player, but has a fair chunk of business with IBM. Our partnership with Trustmarque is built around a value-added distribution model, whereas its relationship with C2000 was more fulfilment based.”
Oldacre said DNS Arrow will work closely with Trustmarque to build up its IBM business in the UK.
“Until now Trustmarque has had limited skills internally with IBM, but we are helping them understand the programmes, new solutions opportunities and how to up-sell and cross-sell the IBM portfolio,” he said.
Ross Miller, chief executive of Trustmarque, said: “We occasionally move things around. Distributors ebb and flow and DNS Arrow just happens to put more focus on IBM.
“We have a lot of IBM business going on with its Websphere product set. It is not a volume market, but when people invest they spend a lot of money and this is something that we are working on,” he said.
Miller added that the VAR will continue to work with C2000. “We have about four mainline distributors that we work with, including C2000,” he said.
C2000 declined to comment.
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