Pegasus rejig alarms resellers

Pegasus moved quickly this week to allay resellers' fears about the vendor's channel strategy, after it cancelled its annual reseller conference just four days before the event was scheduled to take place.

Pegasus moved quickly this week to allay resellers' fears about the vendor's channel strategy, after it cancelled its annual reseller conference just four days before the event was scheduled to take place.

A number of Pegasus resellers expressed their outrage at the two-day event's cancellation, which was due to start on Friday. Around 150 resellers were contacted on Monday by Paul White, Pegasus' new managing director, who was installed at the helm on Monday. A new date for the conference has not been set.

This latest development occurred after it emerged that Chris Leak, former acting managing director, quit the company last Friday, ending weeks of speculation regarding his future. Only last week, he resumed his former role as commercial manager.

Resellers have expressed concern for their future following Pegasus' acquisition by freecom.net earlier this year. Fears that a large-scale channel cull was imminent were exacerbated when freecom.net bought rival accounting software vendor Systems Union two weeks ago.

One reseller, who requested anonymity, said: "People are leaving Pegasus in droves, and resellers are looking for an alternative product to sell. I almost wish that Sage had bought them."

John Dixon, managing director of reseller Computime, said: "There's an [information] vacuum right now and it's got to be filled."

White, who arrived at Pegasus from Systems Union, said he regretted having to cancel the conference, but added: "I want to get a coherent plan together and present it to the channel. I can't do that after four days in the job."

However, White said a consolidation of the Pegasus channel was not part of the company's plans. "I don't know what's gone on in the past, but Pegasus is committed to the channel."

First appeared in Computer Reseller News