UK push leads to eGain in software VAR partners
Internet customer communications specialist eGain has made some progress in recruiting UK channel partners to help it grab a share of the exploding European ecommerce market.
Internet customer communications specialist eGain has made some progress in recruiting UK channel partners to help it grab a share of the exploding European ecommerce market.
EGain currently has 150 customers worldwide and opened its UK offices in July this year. Since then, the company has been working to educate customers and find early adopters, as well as sign deals with application service providers (ASPs) and system integrators (SIs), according to Bob Apollo, eGain European vice-president and general manager.
The vendor has already signed up UK ASP Exodus and is in discussions with the "top six SIs", Apollo claimed. EGain is also working with customer relationship and ecommerce specialists Siebel, Remedy and Pandesic, the joint-venture company set up by Intel and SAP, to co-develop the eGain solution as part of a wider offering.
EGain sells mainly direct in the US, but within 18 months, the company aims to have at least one-third of European sales generated via the channel, Apollo said. In return, the vendor will offer partners training, technical support, consulting services and sales and marketing assistance.
He added that eGain's strength lies in developing the software, so although the company will undertake some direct sales the integration aspect of the solution will always involve engaging a partner.
"I don't know how we could address the market if we don't sign business partners," Apollo said. "It is just not possible to recruit as fast as the market is growing. It makes sense to join with partners who are in a better position to deliver the product and already have a trusted relationship with the customer."
EGain is looking for partners among independent software vendors, VARs and implementation and hosting specialists. Within six to nine months the vendor hopes to have signed up 10 "quality partners", according to Apollo.