Avaya tells channel partners: We're a collaboration company now

Avaya laid down the law with channel partners at its annual retreat, telling them that it plans to transition away from its former focus on voice-only solutions and warning that those partners that didn't change with it would be replaced.

"In the past if you sold a lot you'd get a favorable relationship and benefits from Avaya," said Joel Hackney, Avaya's senior vice-president of sales and marketing. "Going forward, we're changing that. Those who bring in the most value helping customers collaborate faster and smarter will have more financial rewards."

According to CDN, the company also plans to recruit more partners in Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

"We're interested in recruiting new partners who are interested in bringing new value solutions in collaboration," said Hackney. "Many are making this transition from voice to collaboration, and we want to invest in them to help bring them to the new world of collaboration."

Avaya said it has invested more heavily in its channel and direct sales and is in full partner recruitment mode since integrating Nortel more than a year ago. The company said it is now a collaboration company, not a phone or IT company.  

"The only remaining competitive advantage left in business today is finding that idea from an employee, hearing it, getting a team together fast and make a decision on it," Hackney said.

For more:
- see this CDN article

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