VARs attack over client data
Cisco and 3Com came under fire from resellers last week after demanding detailed information about VAR customers.
Cisco and 3Com came under fire from resellers last week after demanding detailed information about VAR customers. Cisco Gold partners and 3Com Advanced Solutions Providers (ASPs) have largely rejected their respective vendors' claims that detailed customer information will be gathered to stop margin-eroding bidding wars between resellers.
A director of one Cisco Gold partner, who asked not to be named, claimed there is a real contradiction between what Cisco is saying publicly about how it wants its channel to operate and what is happening in the field.
"This isn't something for resellers' benefit. It's to maximise the amount of control Cisco has over its users," he said. Cisco does not support its partners, he added. "As long as Cisco wins the deal, it doesn't care."
Another Cisco VAR said a requirement to complete a point of sales (PoS) report, giving full customer details in return for a one per cent discount, has been added to contracts. But a Cisco representative denied anything has been added to the Gold partner contracts.
Meanwhile, 3Com has introduced similar PoS requirements to its ASPs contract, causing a number of VARs to refuse to sign.
Malcolm McGoogan, marketing director at Fastnet, said resellers are understandably reluctant to hand over valuable customer information. "We are fully committed to the ASP programme but are still in discussions over signing the contract," he said.
Carolanne Hurley, managing director of Pinacl Network Services, has written to 3Com setting out her reasons for refusing to sign the ASP contract.
John Prattis, European channel marketing manager at 3Com, said the ASP programme was put together in consultation with partners intentionally to exclude some resellers. High-end resellers must offer manufacturer-backed support.
"There is flexibility concerning support contracts in so far as you don't have to be an ASP," he said.
Prattis added 3Com is prepared to negotiate the amount of customer data resellers must report.