Heath brings channel clout to Netstore's ASP

Resellers must think in terms of monthly revenue and service opportunities from application service provision if they are to succeed in the new economy.

Resellers must think in terms of monthly revenue and service opportunities from application service provision if they are to succeed in the new economy.

That was the advice to the channel from Alison Heath, newly appointed channel development director at application service provider (ASP) Netstore.

Bringing with her plenty of channel experience, Heath joins Netstore from the ASP arm of Kingston Technology, where she was sales and marketing director.

Heath has other channel experience working for companies including Compaq, Datrontech and CHS Electronics/Merisel.

With about 75 resellers on its books, Netstore relies heavily on relationships with its VARs, which include Computacenter and Deverill.

Netstore is currently undertaking a joint programme with its resellers to promote its '[Microsoft] Exchange-in-a-box' hosting solution, which has been touted as an alternative way of implementing Exchange.

Heath told Computer Reseller News that she was committed to getting resellers interested in the pre-sales aspect of ASP implementation, and was also promoting the idea of service as a product.

At present, the early adopters of the ASP model in the UK have been the branch offices of large corporates, said Heath, but Netstore is also looking to target small businesses with 100 staff or more.

Sean O'Reilly, vice-president of marketing at Netstore, said the new post will give the company the ability to support and recruit VARs. According to O'Reilly, this will "enable [Netstore] to maintain its edge over other ASP solutions in Europe".