Intelisys-ScanSource Cloud Initiative Will Benefit Channel Partners

10 Jun 2013

The drive towards cloud computing has resulted in a new strategic partnership between Greenville, South Carolina-based value-added distributor ScanSource and Petaluma, California-based technology services distributor Intelisys. This alliance is expected to be announced early next week and will benefit channel partners to engage suppliers and resources that are needed to successfully strengthen a services-based business model.

The ScanSource solution provider community will be able to connect more easily with the network of cloud and carrier service providers offered by Intelisys. Furthermore, the alliance will have access to channel enablement programs which can assist with business transformation decisions and processes which are needed to develop successful cloud-based delivery models.

The senior vice president of cloud services at Intelisys, Andrew Pryfogle, said: "We've been talking about enabling the ScanSource reseller community to sell cloud and carrier services for quite some time. ScanSource saw this as a faster path to market for them. We come to the table with a very large portfolio of fully vetted cloud and carrier service providers that their partner community can now access. ScanSource will help to broker relationships between their partners and us, and we are coming alongside with our channel managers, marketing support and education components to help those resellers make that pivot."

The Intelisys Cloud Services University is one of those education components, and offers a range of virtual and in-person training courses that look at effective sales practices which can help with cloud offerings. A Channel Alignment Program is also provided by the company, and this will support the matching of IT solution providers and telecom agents, which can strengthen efforts and form more complete customer solutions.

Pryfogle noted: "VARs and agents have been eating from opposite sides the same apple around the cloud for some time now, and these worlds are starting to come together more rapidly. Everything we do is about supporting our sales partners. We have six channel managers around the country, supported by about 30 partner support reps in Petaluma, California, which helps them with aspects around pricing, quotes, escalation, and helping them to figure out which suppliers best match the circumstances of the deal."

Time-to-market issues at ScanSource can also be resolved, as a result of the alliance, and can provide partners with cloud-related support.

The vice president of merchandising at ScanSource, Brian Cuppett, said: "We felt the need to do something quickly. We are trying to bring solutions to our partners to help them build and expand their business, so it made sense to look at Intelisys because of their position in areas where we have not been participating."

The executive vice president at Data Projections, a Houston-based ScanSource partner, Robby Turner, stated that the new partnership will assist in ramping up cloud and managed service offerings.

Turner said: "We've been grappling with whether to build, buy or partner. It's all about time-to-market and capital. We're already in the process of building our infrastructure to offer these types of services, but right now we don't have the organizational background to do the marketing and sales. This will help us to grow quickly, and will help us make sure we're doing it the right way."

Business development representatives at ScanSource should be contacted by partners for additional information, if they are interested in leveraging the alliance. (CY) Link

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