Peer 1 hints at Rackspace channel unrest

Hosting provider claims to have signed up 100 partners across EMEA, with its rival's unwitting help

US hosting provider Peer 1 claims that disillusionment in the Rackspace channel has helped the company acquire 70 partners since its UK launch two years ago.

The firm said it now has 100 partners across EMEA reselling access to its hosted services, which include online storage and Microsoft Exchange. It also claims to be on course to achieve its aim of having 30 per cent of all new business coming via the channel by the end of this year.

Speaking to ChannelWeb, Amanda Dunn, director of business development at Peer 1, said the Rackspace partner network was proving to be a good source of new partners for the firm.

"There are a lot of dissatisfied people [partners and customers] moving over to us from Rackspace, including two large retail accounts," said Dunn. "We are hearing that they treat their top partners very well, but some of their smaller ones feel sidelined."

This is a common occurrence when smaller VARs sign up with larger hosting providers, added Dunn, which is one of the reasons why the firm launched its Platinum Plus partner programme in July.

Under the terms of its existing channel programme, VARs are classified as Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum, with Platinum Plus partners gaining access to additional training programmes and marketing resources.

"The run rate business our standard [non-Platinum and Platinum Plus] partners generate is very important, and helps us fill in the gaps between the larger, and sometimes less-frequent, deals our larger partners bring in," she explained. "That is why it is important to us that partners at every level feel taken care of."