Xircom targets resellers in knowledge push

Xircom has unveiled a revamped partner programme designed to improve the knowledge of existing resellers and expand its channel into the SME and Soho markets.

Steve Muttram, EMEA channel sales manager at Xircom, claimed the core focus of the scheme, called the Mobile Partner Programme, would be to give resellers early access to information.

He said: 'One of the triggers for the scheme was feedback from users, showing that while dealers were the main influence on purchasing decisions, they were not the primary source of information on emerging technologies.'

To address the imbalance, Xircom is stepping up its role in providing information to resellers.

In addition to quarterly newsletters and targeted emails, a reseller extranet will be launched within six weeks to help update partners on technologies, products, prices and special offers.

As part of the programme, Xircom has set itself a target of 15,000 partners across the EMEA region, and 3,000 within the UK.

Muttram said the connectivity product vendor has about 500 UK resellers.

He added: 'The number of existing partners is relatively small compared with the number of resellers in the UK and it is our objective to broaden our penetration significantly.

'The target of 3,000 partners is high, but early indications are that we will have a good response from resellers. We're confident we'll achieve the figure as the mobile computing sector expands.'

Muttram said a key opportunity for the vendor and its partners was the SME and Soho markets, where falling prices were driving many customers to invest in notebooks instead of desktop PCs.

'In the past, we have seen the majority of our business go through corporate resellers, but as mobile connectivity evolves and products such as PDAs become more prevalent, smaller resellers will become involved in the sector.'