The number of data resellers now actively involved in the voice market is growing, and at the vanguard of this advance into comms territory is distributor Mayflex. We got the inside story from Stuart O'Sullivan, Mayflex Vendor Manager for Samsung Electronics.

The UK's converged voice and data market represents a tremendous opportunity for resellers, distributors and vendors, and moving into offering voice solutions was an obvious choice for IT distributor Mayflex, believing the comms space to be an ‘exciting and massively expanding market'. "Finding the right vendor to partner with was a challenge, but Samsung's Ubigate offered the right solution for voice and data convergence with Samsung's new Integrated Call Manager PBX completing the jigsaw," said O'Sullivan.

Mayflex has a diverse range of channel partners offering a variety of technologies and skills to its customers. O'Sullivan added: "A large number have been looking for the right voice and convergence solution to add to their portfolio, and we have found this with Samsung. Our partner recruitment strategy has evolved from mass e-marketing to being focused on specific target markets with selected groups of channel partners. This is a two way process. We endeavour to educate our new voice partners, while learning ourselves from their requirements and what they see as the needs of their customers."

O'Sullivan noted that Mayflex' data (and other typically non-voice partners) have reacted ‘extremely well' to the Samsung voice and convergence proposition. "Our partners can clearly see the market opportunities in supplying voice and converged solutions," he added. "There has been some apprehension about the potential cost of learning new voice technologies and the effort involved in ‘onboarding' these new solutions. In partnership with Samsung, we have created a partner programme that includes effective technical and sales training, demonstration equipment and lead generation that has made cost and time of entry for these partners highly affordable and achievable."

The biggest opportunity for a data VAR in adding voice solutions to its portfolio is the potential for new and increased revenue from existing trusted customers, which allows the reseller to successfully retain that customer's business," observed O'Sullivan. "In addition to this, the reseller then has access to a wide and growing number of new customers. We will make this process as easy as we can for those resellers."

With the Samsung Ubigate gateway solution as the cornerstone of its portfolio, Mayflex is adding Samsung's new Integrated Call Manager IP PBX, Hosted Voice services, SIP trunking and a range of network connectivity options including leased line, MPLS and broadband. "To achieve this we are working with carefully chosen service partners including BT and Thus. We've also looked at which hardware solutions have synergy with the Ubigate and we offer a range of wireless and data network solutions, including switching, that compliment our convergence portfolio," said O'Sullivan.

The marketing of Mayflex' converged solutions focuses both on the benefits of entering the voice and convergence market, and the ease of entry into this market for new partners. Its sales support encompasses full training, customer visits and demonstrations. "Our technical support includes full training including conversion to voice and Samsung's solutions and bespoke support for each end user project where required. We strive to keep our partners updated and we are planning a further series of localised partner events in 2010 focusing both on technology and the convergence market," commented O'Sullivan.

The key to recruiting new channel partners to its convergence solutions is to ensure that they have no concerns or lack of knowledge about the technology and market that they're entering, believes O'Sullivan. "We also make great use of the support from other convergence providers that we have including our hosted voice and network connectivity providers," he said. "We want our channel partners to succeed with Samsung's voice solutions and will provide whatever support they need. For those resellers that do not have the capacity to offer engineering and installation services, we offer professional and cost-effective range of technical and engineering services to work on their behalf."

Mayflex claims to have made ‘excellent progress' in bringing converged voice and data solutions to its reseller base, with dozens of new partners coming onboard over the last few months, and many more in the pipeline. "We feel that we're offering the right solutions at the right time and will continue to look for new partners," confirmed O'Sullivan. "Our goal is not necessarily to have an army of resellers selling these solutions, but to support and work with a high number of good quality, trusted and focused partners across the whole of the UK and Ireland."