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| Rob Leggett of Siracom |
Rob Leggett, Sales Director of Basingstoke-based distributor Siracom, talks to Comms Business Magazine about his company.
Siracom was founded in 2002 by Rob Leggett, Sales Director and David Thompson, Managing Director. Based in Basingstoke, the company has 14 staff.
The company is a value-added distributor of advanced, openstandard network and communication technologies, including: wireless Infrastructure, IP telephony & UC, fixed mobile convergence including Wi-Fi and dual mode Wi-Fi/GSM handsets and IP /GSM gateways. The company also distributes video conferencing and web collaboration products and applications as well as digital application delivery systems such as data over coax, 2 wire and mains power.
Leggett says that Siracom identifies and introduces technically advanced, innovative products to the UK channel.
“We extensively pre-tests all solutions before making them available to our channel, to ensure robust, reliable operation, easy installation and use – and to help make sales as easy as possible for VARs. Siracom consults and advises vendors on UK-market specific features.
Siracom also provide partners with pre-sales support, implementation services, helpdesk and maintenance, and training. Training is for the reseller (accreditation training) or for the reseller’s end-user (both inhouse and onsite). Key focus areas are design, implementation and support of IP Telephony systems, enterprise wireless LAN and wireless VoIP.
Why Sirocom?
Rob Leggett says that Siracom helps dealers overcome the barriers of entry into new markets, such as IP Telephony, enterprise wireless LAN and Videoconferencing.
“By using our demonstration facilities, reference accounts, system design expertise, implementation and post sales support, we help dealers win their reference deals without upfront expenditure and without the risk associated with first time deployments of new products and services into key customers.”
Leggett says: “Our products provide great margin opportunities and we help to ensure that our dealers retain the profit. Margin losses occur at the time of quotation (if the wrong products are specified) and at the time of installation, (when installations do not go according to plan).
“Our sales people help ensure the latest and correct product is specified, and our technical staff understand our products and the environments that they interact with and are able to offer end-to-end design, deployment advice or assistance. Tidying up a deal gone wrong is hugely expensive both financially and in terms of lost reputation, so we help our resellers get it right first time.”
Leggett believes his product portfolio provides opportunities for new business into new customers – the lifeblood for a growing business.
“They also help to work existing IT assets harder, solve end-user network or communication problems, cut communications cost, solve deployment problems or offer genuine business advantage. This gives our dealers excellent opportunities for incremental sales to existing customers.”
Market Observations
“In the current financial climate end-users are very likely to resist or delay major capital investment in new systems or substantial system upgrades unless they can be shown to bring immediate cost benefit. Purchases that support direct cost-cutting by improving work force efficiency or indirect cost-cutting (reduced travel cost, phone bills etc.) will take priority. Resellers that help their customers cut costs and extract maximum value from existing systems will thrive.
“Projects that bring immediate new revenue opportunities for the customer will also go ahead, he says, provided the infrastructure costs are sensible. Resellers must provide innovative cost-effective solutions that deliver the required functionality at minimum cost and can be expanded later to deliver further benefits.
“This helps resellers keep sales channels open to new and existing customers, and keeps margins buoyant during what are predicted to be lean times.”
