Multitone Electronics recruitment drive targets UK VARs
Vendor aims to grow number of resellers from six to 20 in the SME and vertical markets
Wireless communications vendor Multitone Electronics is aiming to almost treble its UK reseller network within 18 months after revamping its partner programme.
The vendor, which makes wireless and IP-enabled telecoms, messaging and personal security systems, launched a channel arm about a year ago, but works with just six UK VARs.
Peter Lomax, Multitone’s business development manager for IP solutions, hopes to raise that tally to 20 by using the new programme to recruit data-oriented resellers focused on SMEs or specific vertical markets.
“We tend to work with small and medium-sized resellers in niche or vertical markets, such as hospitality, or SMEs within a local geography,” he said. “But the partnership would have to be mutually beneficial. We don’t want partners in the same technology areas or geography.”
The new-look programme promi-ses dedicated account management aimed at helping resellers develop vertical market applications. Multitone, which is owned by Champion Technology Group, has claimed that 65 per cent of UK hospitals already use its systems.
Resellers will also be assisted with initial customer calls, product demonstrations and free training.
Dean Willingham, senior partner at Ipswich-based Multitone reseller DPSTelecom, said any additions to the previous programme would “come as a bonus”, but emphasised that he was already happy with the commitment Multitone had shown.
“It’s like a return to the old days of good support, which seems to have drifted of late,” he said. “Multitone supports us on deals where the major IP switching vendors would not.”
Before inking a partnership with Multitone in June, DPSTelecom – which comes from a data background – was close to abandoning its move into IP telephony due to the level of support it received from distributors.
Lomax said the firm has no current plans to break with its model of serving resellers direct. “At the moment it’s about quality of service, and distributors are not overly concerned about being technically aware of the products they stock,” he added.