Extreme sales boost

Vendor to recruit 20 resellers through its two distributors

Extreme Networks has hired extra sales staff and wants to recruit 20 extra resellers through its two distributors. The four new staff will work with resellers in specific vertical markets.

"They're all veterans, and they know the industry well," said Andy Zollo, Extreme's UK country manager. "They will be working in direct touch with our channel. We've got the UK team up to speed."

The 20 new resellers will be accredited as Associates or Resellers, the two lowest levels of Extreme's partner programme.

Rejecting earlier criticisms that the vendor was offering increasingly low margins (CRN, 3 February), Zollo said: "Some people in the fulfilment business are on lower margins.

"Most customers go in for three quotes and then choose the cheapest one. Most of our resellers are getting margins into double figures."

Paul Jordan, demand creation manager at distributor Mayflex, said Extreme's use of direct-touch staff was not new.

But he added: "The people coming in are good, aggressive sales people. The technology has always been very good, but Extreme has always had to compete with Cisco's sales force."