Unitrends adopts 100 percent channel sales model

Data recovery firm Unitrends has implemented a 100 percent channel sales model as it prepares to launch a new partner programme.

“The impetus behind our decision to move exclusively to a channel sales model was simple: we no longer wanted to compete with our partners,” said Kevin Weiss, Unitrends’ chief executive officer. “Over the past several years, we’ve developed strong channel partnerships by providing resellers with lucrative sales opportunities and cutting-edge solutions that address their customers’ individual backup and disaster recovery requirements.”

He said: “We are now solely focused on nurturing these relationships and forging new ones to build a world-class sales force comprised of brand ambassadors across multiple functional areas at partner organisations.”

Mike Dalton was recently made the company’s senior vice president of worldwide channels and international field operations. Dalton, who is tasked with setting the strategic direction of Unitrends’ channel programme and driving its expansion, is working in concert with the executive team to roll out the company’s new channel sales model.

In the third quarter of this year, Unitrends will unveil a completely new channel partner programme. The company says it is being custom built from the ground up, based on partner survey results and input the company has garnered from current partners during a series of in-depth interviews.

Founded in 1989, Unitrends maintained a direct sales model for 24 years before launching a formal channel programme in 2013.

Antony Savvas

York, UK-based Antony Savvas has been a technology journalist for 25 years and has expertise in all major areas of enterprise and consumer IT. He has worked for a number of leading technology magazines and websites and his work is syndicated across the internet. He also undertakes corporate work for some of the world's leading technology companies.