FixITlocal struggles to cover ground
Scheme's founder looks to regroup around select band of VARs but long-standing members continue to depart
Ghost town: cities including Bristol, Leeds and Glasgow currently house no fixITlocal members
With membership standing at a tenth of its previous high of 600, fixITlocal is seeking to remodel itself around 100 select members and claims the service is “alive and well”.
The scheme, which connects users in need to local IT specialists, pledged a year ago to trim its base of 600 active members to just 200. FixITlocal’s website reveals that just 58 VARs are now members, with major cities including Bristol, Leeds and Glasgow housing none at all.
Founder John Carter told CRN that in fixITlocal’s early days a number of under-skilled firms had joined. Carter wants 100 members and has tasked four people with meeting potential recruits face to face, rather than relying on email shots.
“With 100, we would be able to cover the country geographically,” he said. “We only want quality resellers.”
A number of fixITlocal partnerships have fallen through in recent months, including a training module with Cerco and a relationship with an insurance provider. But Carter claimed new programmes are lined up, including a hosted voice-over IP offering, set to launch this month.
But some members remain unconvinced. Welsh repairs specialist AW Computers intends to leave the scheme, having been a member since the beginning. Managing director Austin Walters said it has provided no business.
“(Membership) is an expense I could do without,” he said. “I really have done as much as I can to support it.”