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ShoreTel signs Nuvola to distribution line-up

Vendor picks distributor based on knowledge of application integration and cloud services

Nuvola has joined ScanSource and Exertis in ShoreTel's distribution line-up as part of the vendor's UK expansion.

ShoreTel - which offers communications kit for cloud and hybrid environments - has chosen Nuvola for its knowledge in cloud services and unified communications (UC), such as instant messaging.

The vendor says that the partnership marks further expansion into the UK, and will see Nuvola deliver ShoreTel Enterprise Contact Centre (ECC) and ShoreTel UC technology, along with maintenance and support services, to its reseller base.

Adrian Hipkiss, vice president of EMEA at ShoreTel, told CRN that he does not just want to expand the reach of the company, but to add value and a wider range of capabilities.

He said: "We are not looking to create a ‘some is good, more is better approach'; simply signing up more partners to get more coverage isn't what we want. It is [about] choosing the right partners that we can provide the right solution to. It is about taking time to guarantee that we are going to add value."

Nuvola joins Exertis and ScanSource in ShoreTel's team of distributors, but Hipkiss insists that this will not cause conflict between the three companies.

"There is going to be an area where each of the distribution partners would look at something and say ‘we provide that service' and the others would say ‘we do too,'" he said. "[But], what is interesting about our distribution partners, is [that] each offers different capabilities that the others do not - it is the non-overlapping areas that are really important."

Hipkiss added that each distributor has equal access to its products and services, and can choose to focus on on a wide range of ShoreTel products, or just specialise in a few.

He also commented that, although Nuvola was spun out of end-user services firm Nuage Communications and the two companies still share the same management, ShoreTel has engaged its new partner purely as a distributor.

"I am not comfortable with creating a hybrid situation, you have to have clear lines and you have to have folks that are really great at a distribution level, but if you are trying to support them at that level and at a reseller level it can inevitably lead to confusion and compromise," he explained.

Michael Lloyd, MD at Nuvola Distribution, concluded: "In today's IT environment the reseller must be able to deliver the ‘total' solution and partnering with ShoreTel and Nuvola in the UK ensures they are in position to do this. Brilliantly simple technology and a strong services pedigree are a winning combination, and we are looking forward to the next chapter."