SoftwareONE sticks to its guns as UK sales double

"Pure-play" Microsoft LAR claims rivals' investment in services is playing into its hands as UK sales hit $45m

SoftwareONE claims the expansion strategies of its rivals have left it as the only global Microsoft large account reseller (LAR) with a "clean engagement model" for resellers.

The software licensing specialist, which launched a UK operation in 2008, claims its local Microsoft revenue for the year to 30 June 2011 more than doubled from $20m (£12m) to $45m.

The Switzerland-based firm draws about 40 per cent of $1.4bn annual turnover from its network of 1,300 partners.

Zak Virdi, managing director UK, Ireland and Nordics at SoftwareONE (pictured), argued that its decision not to stray outside its software licensing activities has become its trump card.

"Many of our rival LARs are investing heavily in building their services business," he said. "While this is great, it is causing concern for many of the VAR partners in the channel.

"We are becoming the partner of choice to solution providers and hardware resellers because there are very few pure-play LARs left. They want to have a clean engagement and do not want to buy from someone that competes with them."

SoftwareONE supports more than 1,800 software publishers, including Adobe and Citrix, Virdi stressed, and claims to provide the only VAR-integrated solution in its web platform.

The firm's UK operation was launched in November 2008 by a breakaway group of five staff from Bytes, including Virdi, and local headcount has since grown to 40. It now operates in 40 countries.

"We are keen to bring on board new talent and are in discussions with Microsoft about its apprentice scheme," Virdi said.