BT Business Direct looks to channel

The dabs.com owner admits it has some trust issues to overcome, but is keen to engage with partners

High hopes for the channel: BT Business Direct is on the hunt for partners

BT’s Business Direct arm has declared its intention to get closer to the channel by announcing the launch of its first dedicated partner programme.

Using the TCA Conference as a platform, John Doherty, head of sales at BT Business Direct, which incorporates the dabs.com direct selling brand, said: “We are going to have a reseller channel.”

Doherty cited the BT 21 Century Network, which is due to be completed next year, as an ideal opportunity to get resellers engaged, and in particular the impending 2012 Olympic Games, which he claims presents a lucrative opportunity for the channel.

“A total of 98 per cent of companies involved with the Olympics are based in the UK and there is £3.5bn invested in this. These companies are going to need some support and infrastructure services and who better to do this than resellers?” he said.

Doherty added that BT Business Direct has employed a whole team of channel-facing sales agents and is keen to grow its services business through the channel.

“We have been doing some research through resellers and asking them how they want it to work. We can offer partners the complete end-to-end solution for their customers,” he said, adding the channel programme is scheduled for a soft launch next month, with a go-to-market strategy set for January.

He said the exact structure of the programme and the commission paid to partners is still in the final stages of discussion, but the sweet spot in the market will be customers with 250 seats and below.

However, he admitted that with BT’s past record with the channel, there were some trust hurdles to overcome.

“Resellers have long memories,” he said. “It’s going to be a challenge, but we can grow the services business and it will be more lucrative if we can grow it in partnership with other people. The SMB space is not going to work unless we have resellers.

“Trust is the key word. We have to prove we can be trusted.”