Unify's new channel boss vows to stamp out direct culture

New UK channel boss Barry Tuffs vows to educate direct-minded staff about channel benefits

Unify's new UK channel boss has promised to educate some internal staff who have yet to be swayed about the benefits of its channel strategy.

The comms vendor - which Atos announced plans to buy last year, in a deal that is due to close this quarter - has beefed up its channel presence in recent years, last May vowing to never go back to its direct ways.

At the moment, in the UK the split between direct and channel is about 70:30, according to newly appointed channel boss Barry Tuffs (pictured), who started work this week.

He admitted the direct culture remains in parts of the business but said he will help stamp it out.

"Unify has a good direct business in the UK and my role is to change some of the culture," he said. "There is still a culture in some of the areas of the business which drives a direct engagement and we want to drive a more collaborative engagement with the channel. I have to ensure that happens."

He said that education will be the key.

"My job is to develop a high-performing partner channel and change those cultural ways within Unify so that we see the channel as a safe pair of hands to pick up that business," he said.

"In some areas people are really embracing the channel but in other areas it comes down to education about the benefits a high-performing channel brings. I think that comes down to some individuals who don't necessarily understand the benefits that it can bring. That's my role and responsibility to educate internally."

Tuffs would not elaborate on what impact the Atos acquisition would have on Unify except to say he thinks it will be "positive" for the channel.

But he did outline plans to balance out the type of partners it has.

"If I look at the partners we have at the moment, a lot of them are down at the SMB level. We need to accelerate their capability and adoption into the mid-market - so the 500 to 1,500-user space. I think we have a gap there, therefore an opportunity. We are absolutely on the lookout and will be driving net-new partner growth in that space."