365ITMS unveils innovation centre

UC specialist seeking to increase annuity services under new boss Steve Ellis

Unified comms provider 365ITMS claims its reseller and end-user clients can trial solutions even its vendor partners aren't showcasing via its new innovation centre.

The firm, which sells directly to end users and through resellers via its 5i arm, has ploughed a six-figure sum into the new facility (pictured) demonstrating the latest cloud technologies from the likes of Cisco and Microsoft.

The investment forms part of the private equity-owned firm's strategy to grow its annuity sales under new managing director Steve Ellis, who joined in March.

Ellis (pictured) said his goal is to ensure customers are drawing on the private cloud infrastructure 365ITMS built at its Uxbridge and London datacentres in 2012.

"I was brought on board to grow our annuity revenue streams with the private cloud infrastructure we have invested in, both through our direct business and through channel partners," he told CRN.

365ITMS draws about a third of its sales from 5i, a Cisco Silver partner that provides white-label pre-sales, implementation and support services to resellers and SIs.

"We have trained 5,000 employees of Cisco and Cisco business partners across Europe on Cisco's own unified communications product, so we know what we are talking about," Ellis said.

The new facility, based at 365ITMS' Reading HQ, will enable it to showcase the latest solutions in areas such as voice in the cloud and IaaS, Ellis said.

"You can't even go to Cisco and get a demonstration on some of the stuff we do," Ellis said.