Email provider wants resellers to take its range of mobile email software to market

Mobile email provider Seven is targeting more resellers as part of an indirect sales shift.

Seven operates a predominately direct strategy, through telecoms operators, but it is looking to recruit VARs for its range of mobile email software.

The firm has claimed its software is available on 120 devices and supports a variety of email platforms, including Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino.

Dan Metcalfe, VAR channel director at Seven, said: “Our plan is to move away from a direct-selling model. We don’t want thousands of VARs, but we do want some good solid partners to work with. I would be pleased with 50 new VARs by the end of the year.

“Our focus had been the operator channel. We have 80 mobile operators globally that we work with. Now we are looking to other strategic channels. VARs will play a part in this.”

Metcalfe said Seven will offer technical training to VARs, and has an established partner framework in place.

“We want VARs with an understanding of the mobile market, and firms selling mobile devices into blue-chip organisations. System integrators and corporate resellers will be potentially good partners for us,” he said.

Pierre Lams, co-founder of reseller Handheld PCs, said: “Most of Seven’s business comes from partnerships with cellular companies. We were approached by O2 and Seven, but decided not to take it any further because its technology is behind the likes of RIM [Research In Motion].”

Alaa Owaineh, analyst at research firm Datamonitor, said: “It sounds strange [for Seven to target resellers directly] because competitors such as Good Technology are switching to work through operators. Maybe Seven is targeting the SME market.”

Owaineh added that mobile email has been around for a while, but it has now matured as operators have updated their networks.