Re-launched headset distributor to build channel

AFTER taking the comms distribution market by storm, Corporate Direct has made a dramatic shift in company culture and re-invented itself as a channel friendly company. The change in strategy comes as the Lancashire-based company achieved sales of £7.2m in telecoms hardware products in the year just passed, a rise of £2.2m on the previous period. The company has now been relaunched as Corporate Telecommunications. And a new website will allow dealers to set up a video link with a live support agent. Business development manager, Chan Bansal, explained why it’s important to re-invent the company as a channel player. He said: “Historically, we’ve always sold direct. We’ve managed to grow, despite competition from established rivals like Nimans and Rocom, because customers value good service. “Now we want to offer those same levels of service to the channel, and allow dealers to complement the installations they offer their customers with a range of comms peripherals.” Despite the success of major companies like Nimans and Rocom in this area, Bansal envisages a good response from the dealer channel. “Dealers like to have back-up to existing suppliers. If we can do a good job for them, they’ll keep coming back to us,” he said. Bansal says the distributor is the only technology vendor to offer live video links with support agents. He said. “We got the idea from the insurance market.”