Compaq allays channel fears over direct sales

Manufacturer promises to steer clear of Tandem?s direct sales operation after #3.1 billion buyout

Compaq has vowed to keep its sales operation separate from Tandem?s direct arm after dealers expressed fears that the PC manufacturers? hardware would bypass the channel.

Last week, Compaq paid #3.1 billion for enterprise specialist Tandem Computers, as it expanded its portfolio to cover the entire hardware line (PC Dealer, 25 June). But the deal sparked fears that Tandem would sell Compaq PCs direct, further squeezing its relationship with its channel.

Andy Simms, UK marketing director at Tandem, said: ?We have no plans to sell Compaq kit directly.?

Speculation arose because Tandem has over 4,000 direct sales staff and industry watchers are curious about what Compaq will do with them.

Compaq has been labelled ?paranoid? about direct PC vendor Dell and has set up a direct sales operation to tackle the SME market in retaliation.

Harry Thuillier, MD at reseller Fraser Associates, said: ?The worry is whether it will be going more into the direct market.?

Hugh Jenkins, Compaq UK systems group product manager, also denied suggestions that the manufacturer would be using the direct channel for Compaq boxes.

He said Compaq would not expect it to cross the minds of the direct salesmen, and added, ?no, we will not be offloading sellers of high-end servers with Compaq laptops?.

Jenkins said Compaq is more interested in Tandem?s Server Net and other clustering technology, ?which we will bring to bear on our server technology and which will be sold through our channel to the enterprise?.

Tandem had OEM deals with companies such as Unisys and Advance Logic Research.