Westcon is a global distributor that plays heavily in the Enterprise space while also boasting a robust channel proposition in the SMB sector. Robert Moss, Siemens Sales Manager, has revealed big plans to advance Westcon's SMB ambitions, emphasising the Siemens brand alongside Avaya and Nortel.

A strong rally to gain even greater share of the SMB market is already underway, and the man at the centre of this concerted campaign, Robert Moss, says the distributor aims to build further on its success as a flag carrier for key brands Siemens, Enterasys and Avaya. Westcon's commitment to the SMB market signals growing confidence about the outlook for resellers operating in this sector, and the distributor's strong alignment to SMB has always proved favourable among comms resellers.

"There's a perception in the channel that Westcon is an Enterprise distribution house," commented Moss. "But this simply is not the case. We have an infrastructure and team in place that offers the same quality of service to SMB resellers that is available on the Enterprise side."

According to Moss, Westcon's SMB go-to-market strategy is neatly encapsulated by its plan for the Siemens Enterprise Communications range. Westcon joined the Siemens Go Forward! distribution program last October, adding it alongside convergence products from Avaya and Nortel. The company also handles Enterasys, the networking arm of Siemens. "We've taken on this business during the hardest times," Moss said. "But we're doing well and will continue to push, develop and add more resources into that part of the business."

Moss' ambition is to win the lion's share of existing Siemens partners and grow the SMB business through a combination of helping existing channels expand while seeking new partners. He highlighted a significant opportunity for the distributor in cross-selling Enterasys and Siemens products to customers looking for a single vendor solution as they migrate to IP. "I want to make sure that we continue to build on our strong position in the SMB market. At the same time, we must ensure that the Enterasys channel grows through existing partners, new recruitment and cross-pollination with the Siemens voice channel."

Competition is fierce for Siemens customers at the distribution level, and Moss says that offerings such as flexible credit terms are important in attracting resellers. "There's no one single USP that's relevant to every single partner," Moss stated. "So we've had to cover every post. This includes our Total Support offering which encompasses both our pre-sales and technical support teams.

"Pre-sales and technical support are key to our partners, and by merging our experienced certified teams we are able to offer quality sales and technical support which complements our partners' skill sets. We also offer marketing consultancy through our in-house team, which includes design and rebranding, event organisation along with lead generation and campaign development for our partners."

Following the introduction of Siemens' IP platform for the mid-market - the OpenScape Office MX - the vendor revealed plans to embark on a rebranding mission for all of its UC products. Moss believes that this rebranding will help to recruit more resellers. "The key message is that there's a strong data portfolio, not just for the Enterprise but at the SMB level too," he stated.

Moss does not need to manage a large scale reorganisation to realise Westcon's growth ambitions in the SMB segment, a major plus point, but he has big plans to invest further in the resources required to recruit and support a growing number of SMB resellers. For example, in September Westcon will hold an event at Mercedes Benz World that will focus on SME and Enterprise Siemens and Enterasys solutions, giving existing and prospective resellers the chance to hear the latest offerings from the vendor and Westcon.

Moss commented: "Westcon is well known for its success in the Enterprise market, and its position and success at the SMB level mirrors the Corporate business. We aim to gain greater market share in both segments during 2010."