Westcoast amends the L@w

Distributor gears up for rush of Office 365 demand from customer base as Microsoft makes software available through the channel for the first time

Theale-based distributor Westcoast is ready for a spike in demand for Office 365 with tweaks to its licensing tool.

With Office 365 launched to the channel this week, Microsoft defended its decision to not make on premise Office 2013 licences transferable between machines, as it looks to encourage take-up of the subscription-based product.

Westcoast's L@W will be able to help confused resellers with licensing pricing, quote management and delivery, claimed Alex Tatham, sales and marketing director at the firm.

"Our approach is to promote 'Office your way'," he said. "The new Office from Microsoft is going to be its top selling product through the channel this year. No matter how you license it, end-users are going to want Office and our job at Westcoast is to make it easier for you.

"Office 365 through the channel is new. Resellers will be delighted to know that L@W is on-hand to help them quote their customers and keep them updated. Microsoft promised Office 365 would be delivered through the channel at their world-wide partner conference last year in Toronto and have spent time getting their own systems robust.

"At the same time, our L@W upgrade includes an electronic interface for SPLA license quotation and we have added Office skus to our Apple Go Configure and iCreate HP Workstation configuration tools," he said. "Dealing electronically with these complex licenses and creating an interface for resellers is critical to success"

"With apologies to Henry Ford - you can have Office any way you like - as long as its Westcoast," quipped Tatham.