Solution 6 has moved to quell fears the shift to ASP technology could cut resellers out of the action, with a reassurance that channel partners will play a key role in selling its new suite of ASP products.
Kent Duston, Solution 6's general manager of ASP services, announced at the launch of its new ASP business Centrum last week that the company will work closely with channel partners in Australia and overseas to sell the new technology.
"Solution 6 is not recruiting a large-scale sales force to go out into the field and sell direct," Duston said. "We are working with channel partners because they are the ones who already have the relationship with the customers."
Centrum is a range of software applications for the SME market, offering fully integrated end-to-end business solutions, rather than stand-alone operations.
"It's fully integrated so if you change an address in one application, a person in accounts can see it; if you do it in Perth, you can see it in Sydney. This is made possible through Telstra's Big Pond intranet service," Duston explained.
Centrum products include eCollaborate (Lotus Notes-based messaging, workflow and collaboration), eIntranet (Notes-based company, customer and supplier information), eCustomer (Notes-based sales force automation, ordering and post-sales support), eFinancials (pre-configured SAP financial suite), ePeople (pre-configured SAP payroll and HR management), and eAnalyst (an SAP data warehouse and analysis tool).
Solution 6 has teamed with Telstra, IBM, SAP and Lotus to launch the new ASP product, which is in pilot phase until December 1. Solution 6 is actively recruiting channel partners and has already signed distribution agreements with Alpha West ERP, a Perth-based integrator, consultant and training company, as well as resellers overseas.
"It's going to have a positive impact on resellers," Duston said. "It's a new service they can take to their customers, who previously may not have been able to afford stand-alone applications. It will drive their [resellers'] consulting revenues."
