Service provider ServiceSource has expanded a scheme meant to encourage customers to renew their OEM service contracts.

The company in late 2008 rolled out a Channel Advantage Solution programme, which is now being extended across EMEA.

According to ServiceSource’s executive vice president of worldwide field operations, Crosbie Burns, the scheme supports channel sales and helps vendors get better visibility of its channel partners by harvesting data from partners for its OEM clientele.

This facilitates partner programme improvement, he said, as about 90 per cent of its business in Europe is done through the reseller channel.

“We are actually pushing data and services to the channel,” Burns said. “For a lot of vendors, what we provide is like a dedicated support desk for helping the channel renew their maintenance contracts.”

Data it collects in the course of its duties goes back to its vendor customers, such as CA.

“It is estimated that less than 85 per cent of maintenance [contracts] are renewed, which equates to missed revenue of $30bn (£19bn),” Burns said.