RTE crosses channel to find UK partners

France-based software vendor RTE Software is expanding across the English Channel and is looking to recruit reseller partners in the UK.

France-based software vendor RTE Software is expanding across the English Channel and is looking to recruit reseller partners in the UK.

The company, which specialises in fax and PDF software, is looking to take on between 15 and 20 UK VARs by 2003, said Caroline Joussemet, a representative of RTE.

The vendor has ambitious plans for its UK venture, and has said it hopes to achieve a turnover of about £1.5m by the end of 2003.

"We are ready to invest a lot in the UK market and we are ready to work closely with partners," said Joussemet.

The vendor will contribute to the wages of new staff taken on by partners to specialise in RTE software, send out technicians from France to help out its UK partners and provide pre- and post-sales support, she said.

Partners will be able to choose two different levels of accreditation.

Standard membership will entitle partners to basic support from the vendor, but the higher level, the RTE Business Partner Programme, will entitle resellers to a larger budget, marketing support and the option to qualify for an extra five per cent discount if sales targets are reached.

"Our reseller partners are very important to us and we work entirely with the channel in France and other countries," Joussemet said.

Aman Kahlon, marketing manager at UK reseller PC-Ware, said RTE's PDFMail software offers good value and is ideal for selling into both the SME and corporate markets because it provides "a practical method of converting Office applications into PDFs".

"This is a secure product and will be good for the banking and finance sectors as well, because it makes sure the information is safe," he said.