Comms Dealer

An interactive portal introduced by Nimans puts resellers in control of their network services sales, says the distributor.

"The online service provides resellers with easy order provisioning and billing capabilities as well as a wealth of up-to-date information," said Mark Curtis-Wood (pictured), Head of Nimans Network Services. "Using The Hub, resellers have the ability to place and track orders and manage quotes.

"Resellers will experience a more interactive and seamless way of accessing products and services, improving the way they manage and bill their customers.

"The Hub offers a cradle to grave sales cycle, a complete resource from start to finish. Everything together, everything connected."

Nimans is to hold a series of webinars designed to ensure resellers maximise their usage of The Hub.

Olive Communications is to implement a cloud-based UC and contact centre platform for Swiss Re's Admin Re, the closed-book consolidator of life and health policies, in a £5m deal.

The solution will cover three sites and be used by 2,000 office-based employees including 300 contact centre agents.

Having already upgraded their core actuarial, finance and IT capabilities along with improved systems across operating platforms, Admin Re recently turned its focus to an upgraded telecoms strategy.

Martin Flick, Chief Executive, Olive Communications said: "This is business critical infrastructure, being delivered to an international financial institution to an aggressive time frame and with very clear objectives and benefits.

"The communications and IT sector is undergoing significant change and those customers with a clear vision about what they want to achieve will gain significant ground over those who resist change in the way they communicate with their customers.

"Admin Re took the time to build a list of requirements that were non-negotiable, and Olive is delighted to deliver those requirements in a long term partnership."

The unified communication and contact centre solution will be built on Mitel's cloud-based platform. The 300 seat contact centre incorporates workforce management, voice recording applications and an IVR platform.

The system is located over dual data centres and will be delivered in the early part of 2015.

Phil Shaw, Admin Re's Chief Operating Officer, said: "We need a system that is agile - to help us scale quickly as a business - to meet both the demands of our customers and to achieve our growth strategy."

Milton Keynes based Unify has teamed up with Genius Networks to help local League One football club MK Dons improve support and service to fans.

Under the terms of a year-long deal a new Unify OpenScape Cloud Contact Centre will enable the club to provide integrated Interactive Voice Response (IVR) front end and self-service options to all fans calling in about tickets, match days and networking engagements.

The system will also help MK Dons transform the delivery of match day support to its fans by optimising operational processes to help agents deal with increased call volumes.

Connectivity will be provided by Genius Networks who are providing a core MPLS network, SIP-enabled with direct connection to best of breed carriers, The Genius infrastructure manages latency from strategically located hubs ensuring QoS for delivery of voice and cloud applications.
 
MK Dons Corporate Partnerships Manager, Daniel Cole commented: "Unify's OpenScape Cloud Contact Centre will enable us to engage with our fans, and truly give something back to them in the form of excellent customer service - something that we are very excited about."

Trevor Connell, General Manager of East and West Region at Unify added: "Unify's OpenScape Cloud Contact Centre is perfectly positioned to help MK Dons deliver excellence in customer service to its fans. This is especially true for match days, when MK Dons requires a communication solution that is able to scale to help cope with the demands of increased call volumes - something that the SaaS based Unify product does with ease."

MK Dons are currently 4th in League One, well positioned for promotion to the Championship.

A takeover of mobile giant EE by BT could improve opportunities for the channel according to Gamma chief Bob Falconer.

Commenting on the proposed deal, the Gamma CEO told Comms Dealer: "While this would reduce the supply choice it also reduces the number of competitors in some markets. Typically these large integration plans result in service getting worse before it gets better. History suggests that the bigger the competitor gets the more successful the channel becomes due to its fleet of foot approach."

Falconer believes the industrial logic behind the deal is sound.

"Having parted with Cellnet in 2002, BT had left itself with a big strategic gap. Much of the drive for this recent frenzy seems to be around offering multi-play to the consumer market. BT's major investments including, football content, fibre roll out and now mobile have all been focused on enhancing its consumer proposition."

Comms Dealer is sad to report the death of channel legend David George. Formerly founder of Crane Distribution and latterly Chairman of Pragma Distribution, David was one of the most respected figures in channel history and his passing will be met with much sadness by the hundreds of comms resellers he has supported for many years.

David fought a long battle with cancer but passed away peacefully at a hospice in Sussex yesterday. He was 73.

Comms Dealer Editorial Director Nigel Sergent said: "David was the king of service-led distribution to the comms channel and set standards for others to follow. He was a consummate professional, a superb business leader and above all, a thoroughly nice man and he will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him."

A private family funeral will take place later this month but a memorial service is being planned and details will be posted on this website once arrangements have been confirmed.

Comms Dealer would value tributes via Twitter, Facebook or email to
nsergent@bpl-business.com

To find out more about David's illustrious channel career click here

TRIBUTES

We are deeply saddened by the news of David’s passing and our heartfelt condolences go out to his family and relatives. David was key in establishing the LG brand in the UK market at a time when LG was not a recognised brand. He did this the only way David knows how, with a high dose of integrity and hard work peppered with fun and laughter. We will all miss him greatly.
Ahed Alkhatib, VP Global Sales, Ericsson-LG Enterprise

I am so sorry to hear of the very sad passing of David, a true gentleman of our industry. Our thoughts and wishes are with his family, from all at Incom Business Systems.
David Hughes, Managing Director, Incom Business Systems

From the first time I met David his infectious smile and gentlemanly demeanour had an immediate positive impact on me. The business world can be heartless and without compassion but David stood for fairness and the forces of good practice. His sense of fairness and justice while in pursuit of business success was exemplary and outstanding. Like most, I was inspired just by being in his company.
Bahman Rahimi, CEO, BDR Voice & Data Solutions

Many of us knew David for over 25 years and through him a great number of friendships and bonds were formed. It is fair to say that The Concert Group would never have existed without David’s influence. He had an extraordinary ability to build both commercial and personal relationships with those he knew, and the industry was enriched by his presence. Something to be very to be proud of. We will miss him.
Jonathan Sawyer, Taurus Clearer Communication, on behalf of The Concert Group

Like many others I knew David for over 25 years and it was an absolute pleasure to do business with him and a privilege to call him my friend. Like many of you, I could go on for hours recalling the memories of the various DG trips that I have enjoyed with David over so many years, and I often recall the memories and have a laugh to myself. What great times we had, with memories that will last a lifetime. There is no doubt the industry and his many friends will recognise the great loss of David George, otherwise known as Sir David. God bless you David.
Tom Cullen, Managing Director, Digitel Europe

When David spotted an opportunity he game-changed the industry – such was his vision. He was a man, who in recent times, knew that he was battling once again with Father Time, yet always found the time for others. The passing of a true gentleman and an industry giant. He will be missed by one and all, but never forgotten.
David Wardell, Managing Director, Evoke Telecom  

I am so sad to hear of David's passing. He was instrumental in Future Telecoms' success and a true leader of people. A very sad day for the industry.
Gary Allsopp, Founder, Future Telecom

I have had the honour and pleasure of working with David for many years.  He always challenged, inspired and motivated me and I owe him a great deal. David built a reputation in the UK telecoms channel for being  fair, honest and easy to do business with, a legacy we are all charged with continuing at Pragma. His loss has affected us all deeply, but we are comforted by the many messages of affection and support we’ve received from so many who also cared about David.
Tim Brooks, Managing Director Pragma Distribution

David will be remembered fondly by all who worked for and with him. Many of us owe our current careers and in my case my wife and family to the time spent at Crane.
Craig Walden, Big Beach Marketing

Great sadness at the loss of David. A great man, great boss and best friend. Will miss him very much and my thoughts are with his family.
Denise Drew, Former Director Crane Telecommunications

Really lovely guy. Sad day.
Andrew Dickinson, Jola

I will miss David so very much it hurts, but I have so many happy memories and they can never be taken away. I have friendships created by David that will remain for life and always serve to remind us all of his ethics, hard work and above all else his sense of fairness to everyone around him. See you when I get there my friend, and rest in peace.
Dave Corgat, Managing Director, Rainbow

David was a real champion of the industry. He led the way as a hands-on distributor, keen to support the smallest of businesses as much as the largest.  The support from Crane to the reseller channel was second to none and enabled so many people, businesses and relationships to grow. Out of those relationships came friendships and good times which I will always cherish and be thankful for. I will miss him.
Bruce Sutherland, Operations Director, Carritech

28 years ago I was a frustrated product manager for National Telephone Systems when David approached me and offered me the chance to expand my role working directly for him – how lucky was I. David became my mentor, developing my skills and business knowledge, putting this to a test when in April 1990 he suggested that we should set up a UK distributor for LG – the rest is history. David gave me the start in life most never get. I will always be in his debt, he was a true friend through thick and thin, he praised when deserved but gave me a big kick when required. David you will always be part off my life rest in peace.
Tracy Jackson, MD, ETS Communications

I first met David when I was employed by Crane as a Sales Support engineer. I found him to be a kind, generous and understanding man – a true gentleman. He will be sadly missed by all. My thoughts and prayers go out to David’s family.
Paul Norton, Managing Director, Comms2Comms

Aria Networks has strengthened its position in the Software Defined Networking market following the closure of a new funding round led by venture fund Seraphim Capital.

Mark Boggett, Managing Director of Seraphim Capital, said: "There is a huge addressable market for migratory applications such as those provided by Aria Networks to network operators and cloud providers, as evidenced by AT&T's recent announcement that they plan to extend SDN network coverage to 75% by 2020.

"Aria Networks enables service providers to benefit from virtualisation and network automation today and build a path to a fully Self Optimised Network in the future."

Aria Networks also announced the appointment of Steve Newton as Chief Executive Officer. Newton has already been in an executive role at the company for the past 12 months. He brings more than 25 years experience in the telecommunications sector, and was part of a management team that steered billing software specialist Geneva Technology from product launch through rapid growth to an exit for $700m.

Newton commented: "Aria Networks is already working with many of the largest Internet companies in the world. As user demand for data continues to grow exponentially, the software solutions provided by Aria Networks become ever more relevant to Internet service providers, network and cloud operators. I am delighted to lead the company into a new era where our applications and software defined network services will enable Aria to rapidly scale."

The singing and guitar playing skills of Matthew Broadbent, Staff Coach and Trainer at Nimans, were enough to secure top spot during the distributor's recent talent contest. The X Factor-style event saw a panel of judges assess a variety of acts including singers, poets, actors and a rock guitarist.

PR Manager Chris Widocks said: "Some of the acts should not give up their day jobs, but the contest proved that Nimans is awash with talent in areas other than the supply of communications."

The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity (The Royal Marsden) has benefited from a £1,323 cash boost following Virtual1's fund raising efforts during Q4 2014.

The Virtual1 team supported the charity in a number of ways including bucket volunteers at the ATP Tennis tournament, crowd volunteers at the London marathon and a team of volunteers at the annual Marsden March helping with catering, face painting and welcome teams.

To round off fundraising efforts, the team at Virtual1 dedicated a number of festive activities to raising funds for The Royal Marsden, including company and staff donations for each festive jumper worn on the firm's Secret Santa day.

Joanne Bell of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity commented: "The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity would like to say a big thank you to staff from Virtual1 for all their support and fundraising throughout 2014. With their support we can continue to invest in world-class innovation at The Royal Marsden for the benefit of cancer patients everywhere."

Virtual1 CEO Tom O'Hagan added: "I'd like to thank our staff for their wonderful efforts in volunteering and fundraising for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity over the course of the year.

"The Charity holds a special place in many people's hearts due to the fantastic work they do for cancer sufferers.

"The feedback from our employees has demonstrated just how rewarding and fulfilling it is for all of us and we will be continuing to support The Royal Marsden in 2015 with a full calendar of fundraising efforts."

Commsworld has marked its 20th year of operation with revenues approaching £10m, according to co-founder and CEO Ricky Nicol.

The Edinburgh-based company, established in 1994 as a provider of telephony services, now specialises in network, telephony and mobile communication solutions.

Nicol believes 'the best is yet to come' as his firm prepares to take advantage of the upturn in the economy and burgeoning demand for network speed, latency and resilience.

He said: "It's mind boggling when I look back at the last 20 years, but it fills me with an enormous amount of pride.

"We originally set up from a 500sq ft office and had a turnover of £300,000 in year one. Now, with our three offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen we have around 10,000sq ft with 51 staff and the products and services we sell are light years ahead.

"We have successfully diversified and continuously evolved to offer leading edge technology and that strategy has paid off.

"I believe we're now in a fantastic position to attack the big providers and gain a decent portion of market share in Scotland so I'd hope the next 20 years should be even more successful."

Staff shortages have pushed salary increases to a five year high, with the latest vacancy advertising report by Adzuna jobsite revealing an overall 5.8% increase in new starter salaries offered in 2014, driven mostly by candidate availability falling to an all-time low of 0.89 jobseekers per job.

"In theory this is great news for job hunters, however the detailed figures reveal huge variations across the UK," observed Clive Jefferys, JMA Network.

"The biggest  increases have been in the North East and South West at 11.6% and 10.89% respectively. Yet London and the SE region was second poorest at 'only' 6.05% .

"Incredibly, the worst performing region was Scotland at a measly 0.53% uplift."

Jefferys also noted that classical economics would cite the willingness of jobseekers to relocate as the chief cause of such variation, implying that the highest wage rises occur in areas that are losing the most staff.  

"However, the growing impact of immigration, specifically to the South East, home working, Internet and telesales is skewing the figures nationwide and making HR planning highly problematic for the year ahead," added Jefferys.