US Robotics rejigs accreditation scheme

US Robotics? network systems arm has launched a three-tier reseller accreditation scheme to try to improve channel structure and reseller communication.

The firm said its total business partner programme would give more dealers the right to ship its remote access and Lan infrastructure products.

The entry level accreditation, total product reseller, is for those wanting to specialise in one product in a range. Mid-tier accreditation, total systems reseller, is a dilution of the vendor?s corporate Var scheme, which in turn will be renamed total corporate reseller. The scheme has no hard segmentation of product and no restrictions on support facilities, but differentiates between dealers in the level of business and in product and technical training.

US Robotics UK channel sales manager Kevin Vine said the accreditation changes stemmed from a movement into Ethernet and ATM products. ?The programme we had before was just for corporate Vars based around a high-end remote access solution.?

Chris Glossop, MD of US Robotics corporate reseller Interop Technologies, approved of the more structured accreditation. ?It assists the user in their choice of dealer by making the level of expertise clear,? he said.