Tandberg urges VARs to get with the programme
Vendor relaunches partner programme to accommodate resellers of recently acquired Exabyte
Tandberg Data is relaunching its partner programme following the firm’s successful acquisition of backup vendor Exabyte.
The partner programme is scheduled to relaunch in the second quarter. Gary Preston, managing director UK at Tandberg, said that the move should bring both sets of resellers under one partner umbrella scheme.
“We have been to see most of the Exabyte resellers and most of our resellers to see what crossover and cross product selling they can do,” he said. “We want to make it easier for both sets of partners to do business with us. We have reorganised the UK content, because previously it was more German focused.”
Marije Stinjnen, marketing manager EMEA at Tandberg, added: “There will now be a deal registration element, that we can use to protect VARs and their margin from rivals taking over deals. Also we will include additional technical and sales training.”
Preston said the firm was happy with its distribution partners – Northamber and CMS Peripherals – and is currently in negotiations with Ingram Micro, whom the firm inherited as part of the Exabyte deal. “We don’t want any channel conflict and we don’t want margins to drop,” he added. “All three distributors are very good in their respective fields and hit different aspects of the market.”
Hamish MacArthur, chief executive of analyst firm MacArthur Stroud International, said the completion of the Exabyte acquisition will give Tandberg a bigger base to develop new technology. “This gives users and channel players greater confidence in the continuity and what both Exabyte and Tandberg are doing,” he said.
“With the channel it is all about coverage. This move gives both sets of resellers the knowledge that Tandberg is going to be a significant player to work with in the channel.”