3Com UK to focus on reseller partnerships

3Com has announced its strategy and focus for its revamped UK channel support team, and said it aims to sign new reseller partners and streamline existing ones.

3Com has announced its strategy and focus for its revamped UK channel support team, and said it aims to sign new reseller partners and streamline existing ones.

Paul Malcolm took over at the helm of the company's UK operation at the beginning of this month and said that he is determined to enhance reseller relationships.

"We are trying to ensure that our Focus partners are given the right level of accreditation. In the past we have had partners receiving inappropriate levels of support due to past records, or new partners have not been upgraded appropriately," he said.

The company is increasing support and management by dedicating more human resources to working with the channel through the new team.

Malcolm will head a new structure that will encompass distribution and technical teams and a new marketing department, as well as a dedicated mail-order and retail executive who will develop the product portfolio for the small to medium sized enterprise space.

"We are committed to the two-tier distribution model and we are looking into other routes to market, such as network service providers and mail-order," he said.

The company is currently working alongside network service provider Cable & Wireless to integrate technology to increase its local area network (Lan) telephony offerings for its channel.

"We want to sell through, instead of to, telcos. Although they may have their own partners, our resellers can become involved," said Malcolm.

Brian Somerville, products manager at reseller Compusys, said: "We have been partnering Cable & Wireless through 3Com for about six months. It has given us a good value-add capability because we can now price and supply some telephony products."

3Com said it is now concentrating on four main product areas - gigabit ethernet, Lan telephony, wireless and web appliances - in an attempt to tighten up its business.

Also published in Computer Reseller News