BT accounts up for grabs

Telco shifts MATP scheme's rules of engagement - but who will benefit?

Resellers will take over an extra £40m worth of previously direct BT Retail accounts in the next year, following the introduction of a new partner model.

But resellers have concerns about who will be eligible to receive the accounts. In total, about 4,000 of BT's business customers and 80 major accounts will be managed by resellers.

Mark Hollister, the new director of BT Indirect Channels, said the shift in selling became possible after the company reorganised its rules of engagement for its Managing Accounts Through Partners (MATP) scheme.

"It has taken a long time to get the rules right, but we now have a clear process in place," he said.

Hollister added that altering the way BT's own salesforce is rewarded was key to getting the rules right. "We have changed how internal staff are paid, so it does not discourage them from pushing sales through the channel," he said.

Last year BT accounts worth another £10m were transferred through its MATP model, which has been piloted over the past 18 months. However, during the pilot only three resellers, BT's Solution Partners, benefited.

Although channel players welcomed the most recent move, some wondered where the accounts will go this time.

Manny Pinon, sales and marketing director at distributor Norwood Adam, said MATP needed to be broadened to include more than the current three resellers.

"We have not seen any of the business because only a few resellers received it," he said. "We'll believe it when we see it."

Gary Bloomfield, managing director of reseller Sterry Communications, said his firm had yet to see any of the accounts and BT should widen the recipient base.

However, Hollister confirmed to vnunet.com's sister publication Computer Reseller News that the number of resellers in the Solution Partner category will be increased to 17 this year.

Hollister added that the strategy's endorsement comes from the top. "End users always want to buy their technology from the channel because resellers have multiple skills and can wrap products and services around sales," he said.