Allasso pledges aid to UK resellers

IT security distributor Allasso is offering UK resellers packaged support in new service areas with the launch of its Professional Channel Services.

IT security distributor Allasso is offering UK resellers packaged support in new service areas with the launch of its Professional Channel Services.

The initiative is intended to help small to medium sized enterprise resellers provide customers with high-revenue services such as planning, implementation and configuration, vulnerability testing and security health checks.

Sales and marketing manager Bernie Dodwell said: "With margin pressure resellers are constantly looking for new sources of turnover, but many are too small to support them. We are providing these services on our partners' behalf and enabling small resellers that do not have the skills to add value to their offering."

Dodwell said that Allasso aims to provide resellers with training so they can actually carry out the services themselves.

Resellers see the value of investing in training only if they see clear returns on that investment, he explained. "Resellers are not sure they will get a return on investment from training. In effect, they have been reselling our support," he said.

Mark Hopkins, an account manager at Belfast-based Allasso reseller Celare, said: "Service-based solutions are becoming more important in the IT security arena, and they add more margin than the actual products."

Niche distributor Wick Hill offers a similar package to cater for the demand from its partners. Group managing director Ian Kilpatrick said: "We are seeing significant growth in this area and partners are looking to us to work with them by offering training and accreditation and delivering packaged professional services."