ShoreTel hunts VARs to scale new verticals

Vendor to recruit from public sector and finance areas in bid to expand channel coverage

Howard wants to recruit partners that focus on government, NHS and finance

ShoreTel’s new EMEA head is looking to recruit channel partners with public sector and financial services expertise in a bid to become the mid-market’s leading IP telephony vendor.

John Howard arrived at ShoreTel from Avaya last month. He assumes the role of EMEA managing director, replacing Mark Swendsen, who has returned to his native US to take up a global role with the firm.

Howard claimed ShoreTel was set to boost the channel by making a “major investment” in lead generation over the next few months. He added that he had three top priorities for the immediate future, the first being to maintain high standards of customer satisfaction.

“We also want to expand our channel coverage to have the right geographical and vertical coverage,” he said. “We want to recruit partners that focus on government, NHS and finance and, technically, resellers that are focused on call centre and unified communications.”

He added that the final strategic prong was to beef up the ShoreTel brand in this country and across the EMEA region.

Director of EMEA marketing Tom Perry said the vendor was quickly gaining traction with UK VARs.

“We are attracting channel partners from other vendors and that is very tough to do,” he added.

Grahame Smee, managing director of ShoreTel distributor Cohort Technology, said: “ShoreTel’s next step is to focus on specific verticals and we are helping it to identify the right resellers.”