Avaya to focus on VADs

Avaya, one of the leading providers of enterprise communications systems, is extending its relationships with local systems integrators (SIs) and service providers (SPs) as well as appointing new distributors to fuel market penetration for the entire range of its unified communications and contact center technologies.

With the three Platinum partners, including Wipro and Orange Business Services and value-added distributors like Redington India and Bharti Teletech in its kitty, the company is focusing to penetrate into government and defense sectors. Avaya follows two-tier distribution policy with a channel-centric go-to-market model to drive channel recruitment. It operates through more than 180 channel partners.

With the recent ASSOCHAM study projecting that the SME segment will serve as one of the as key drivers for growth, the company is optimistic about its SME-centric offerings. Avaya’s IP Office caters to small and medium businesses, in addition to Avaya Aura, which is a virtualization solution for real-time communications. Speaking to The DQ Week, Bejoy Antony, Director–Channels & Strategic Alliances, Avaya India and SAARC, said that their strategy would be to leverage the distribution engine. Beetel Teletech and Redington, who are the company's distributors, will drive the depth and coverage of their products portfolio. "We are currently focusing on nine cities across India. Going forward, our priority will be to consolidate and enable these partners to sell and support Avaya data, UC and SME products," he said. "Our multi-channels business model in India is at a very nascent stage. Over the next 12-18 months, we are targeting to rout at least 20-25 percent of our business through VADs," said Antony.

Avaya Connect, a channels program that was formally launched early this year, has been well received by the partner community. The company offers weekly training program for partners. It has also started 'Market Leaders' campaign for its select partners throughout the country.