Tata Comm to expand channel for managed services offerings

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Tata Communications, part of the Tata Group, is working on expanding its channel network to offer its connectivity and managed services solutions to a wider base of small and medium business (SMB) customers.

The company was so far working with around seven partners, particularly tier-1 systems integrators (SI) in major cities. It now wants to engage with the leading SI in B and C-class cities, now that its range of services has expanded.

“We are planning to increase our channel network to offer our services in 150 cities, where we will have one partner per city. These partners would be the premier systems integrators in the city who sell a stack of software and hardware solutions,” said Harish Laddha, GM—Channel Strategy and Development, Tata Communications.

Keeping in mind the fact that most channel partners might not have a trained pool of employees who can sell these solutions to their customers; Tata Communications will help them hire resources as well. “A partner can identify a prospective candidate and we will pay his salary for the initial six months,” said Thakkar.

Tata Communications has also hired a manpower recruitment agency that has already identified candidates in the cities the company wants to foray into with its channel and if needed by the partner Tata will hire these candidates for the partner.

While explaining why partners would be keen about working with Tata Communications, Thakkar said, “A lot of these partners want to make the transition to offering managed services, but do not know how to. If they want to go through the entire learning curve to offer these services, then it will take a lot of time and effort. If they partner with us, they can skip this learning curve and start offering additional service to their customers, with minimal investment of time.”

The other benefit for partners in this model is that they do not need to stock inventory or taking credit risk. The partner will solicit business from the customers, the service agreement will exist between Tata Communications and the client. At the same time the partner will get a pre-defined margin for closing the deal and a percentage on the recurring service business.

The channel team it has put in place to assist these partners comprises two zonal heads and regional managers in eight regions who will oversee channel sales managers.