DMSL, the distributor of BT broadband and related services, has welcomed the move to place the Indirect Channels organisation under the wing of the BT Service Provider Group (SPG). The company is also hailing the appointment of SPG Director Martin Roddy as head of Indirect Channels as a positive development for BT partners.
Leading BT distributors and resellers were told about the changes in a recent set of briefings. DMSL sees the move to place Indirect Channels under the jurisdiction of SPG as being progressive for the entire channel. “The whole market is moving further towards a service-based model so it makes sense to put Indirect Channels under the control of the part of BT that really understands what services and service delivery is all about”, says Managing Director of DMSL, John Carter.
There are clearly some powerful internal synergies between Indirect Channels and SPG and with no change of personnel amongst the partner support teams, Carter believes the results will be a positive. “DMSL has always believed that the way forward is services and that the old models for the channel and for BT must be left behind. This move clearly takes BT and its partners further in that direction”, he says.
Carter also believes that Martin Roddy, Director of the BT Service Provider Group, will have progressive influence in driving partners towards service-based models. “Martin Roddy has been with BT for many years and understands the company as well as anyone. He has a very positive outlook and I believe he will be a strong supporter and advocate of the channel.”
BT is already moving forward with plans to support partners even more. According to Carter, the company is developing a new partner portal and accreditation programme and a whole range of new products and services are being planned for launch this year. In particular, BT is looking to expand its Software as a Service (SaaS) portfolio significantly over the course of the coming 12 months, expanding current opportunities and opening up potential new revenue streams for DMSL and its partners.
“We are very excited about BT’s plans for 2007 and beyond”, says Carter. “We believe the company is on the right track and will continue to be an excellent partner for DMSL and resellers throughout the UK. The company has shown both vision and pragmatism in its approach and its on-going strategy. By focusing more on the hosted applications and service-based offerings, BT is moving itself and its partners in exactly the right direction.”