Wall Data poised for indirect push

The vendor is finalising the details of a strategy that will see it sell entirely through the channel

Wall Data sales director James Allardyce is close to completing the company?s switch to an entirely indirect sales model, just five months after shifting from Borland.

Allardyce said 99 per cent of the terminal software vendor?s sales are now indirect and he is determined to push the rest through the channel.

Wall Data distributor Azlan has adopted Wall Data as its sole UK supplier of terminal emulation and connectivity soft-ware, after parting company with market leader Attachmate.

Ed Arnett, European managing director of Azlan, was enthusiastic about the deal. ?The channel is tired of vendors trying to claim partnership with the reseller community, while cherry picking the best customers for themselves.

?By taking a completely indirect approach, partnership with Wall Data really means partnership,? he said.

Roger Paul, MD of Wall Data distributor Persona, said the vendor had taken a clear step ahead of its competitors. A third distributor will be signed up within the next two months.

Allardyce has recruited ex-Borland hands Gerard Allison and Anthony Perridge to run Wall Data?s channel activities. ?We looked at the channel together and put a plan in place. The challenge now is to make it tick like clockwork and to deliver the revenue,? he said.

Up to 30 resellers are being targeted to join the firm?s new training programme Partner Net, but Allardyce believed it would realistically sign up ?the low-hanging fruit?, such as Computacenter and Stream.