Avaya commits to right channel wrongs

Vendor says clarity was an issue.

Business communications vendor Avaya has acknowledged discontent amongst its Asia pacific channel and has resolved to do something about it.

Channel grievances related to the company's handling of direct accounts.

Speaking at Avaya's annual partner conference in Bangkok, Avaya Asia Pacific director of channels and marketing Rick Seeto said he was aware of the discontent and had taken steps to address it.

“I am very aware of unhappiness, or discontent around some of the aspects of services," Seeto said. "Over the last six months we took an action to put some clarity around that.”

Seeto said partners are asking for two things – clarity and consistency.

“Through a series of discussions we put in place a very simple construct around our support services, and the construct is where we have an Avaya customer that is direct in terms of its service and support," Seeto said.

“Our commitment to our channel partners is that we will have that conversation up front and decide how we work together to achieve our aims. That could also be that we agree not to agree, but we want to have the conversation on those agreed accounts.”

Avaya Australia and New Zealand managing director Rob Wells said the company is making real inroads with its partners.

“Our distribution model is about in the right place,” says Wells. “Looking at the business in a couple of years time, I don’t anticipate any change in distribution in this time, there is plenty of headroom in it and it’s scaling quite nicely.”

Avaya runs 75 per cent of its business through the channel in Australia, up from 40 per cent two years ago.

Aaron Crowther travelled to Bangkok as a guest of Avaya