28 January 2008
Websense has dusted down its channel strategy following the completion of its merger with SurfControl, retaining the complete line-up of distributors used by
both vendors.
The number of distributors had been under review, but all four — DSL, e92plus, Bell Micro and ComputerLinks — are being kept on the roster.
Pat Dunne, senior director, UK and Ireland, at Websense, said it had examined the overlap between the two companies’ reseller channels and found they were duplicated by only about 45 per cent.
Under the Channel Connect programme, all resellers will be incorporated into the platinum, gold and silver model that had been used by Websense, giving them access to training and marketing support.
He added that Websense had looked at distribution but concluded that the current partners supported its aims of growing market share, particularly in the SME arena. "We are sticking with four distributors because we consider that they all bring different things to the party," he said.
Dave Ellis, director of e-security, professional services and training at ComputerLinks, said it welcomed the result and added that it made sense because the distributors were all aimed at slightly different areas of the market.
Mukesh Gupta, managing director at e92plus, said it targeted the mid-market and did not compete with any of the other players head on.
Websense concluded its protracted merger of SurfControl last autumn, bringing together the industry’s leading web and email filtering specialists (MicroScope,
15 October 2007).
