Access Distribution is making it easier for solution providers to sell services by giving them access to technical resources that the providers can extend to their own customers.

The Westminster, Colo., distributor, a subsidiary of General Electric, revealed June 12 that it has enhanced its OneTech Services, which previously consisted of help desk support, by adding managed services, integration and professional services components.

The enhancements, according to the distributor, allow VARs and integrators to add depth to their offerings without having to invest heavily in staff, technology or training.

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Instead, VARs and integrators tap Access Distribution's technical experts and service infrastructure to extend it to their users.

"We realize that IT services is a growing market opportunity for our partners and that is why we continue to explore new services, vendors, offerings and tools," said Chuck Scalia, director, IT Service Solutions, Access Distribution.

"Collectively, these programs help our reseller partners realize higher profitability, lower resource investments and increased customer satisfaction."

Access Distribution jumps into managed services. Click here to read more.

The services announced by Access Distribution on June 12 include OneTech Integration Services, which the distributor's VARs and integrators can tap to deliver fully integrated solutions developed to their customers' specifications.

Another component, OneTech Professional Services, offers solution providers access to such activities as on-site and remote installation, product training and data center assessments for customers.

The managed services component, OneTech IT Analytics, offers VARs and integrators the opportunity to break into this booming space.

The distributor has partnered with Klir Technologies, of Seattle, to extend the vendor's Hosted IT Analytics platform through a software-as-a-service arrangement to VARs and integrators that want to set themselves up as MSPs (managed services providers).

The month-old partnership with Klir represents a decisive step by Access Distribution to define the role of distributors in managed services, through which providers earn recurring revenue by taking over the management and monitoring of their clients' IT environments.

As managed services gain momentum, one of the big unanswered questions has been what role the distributors can play in this market.

Previously OneTech Support Services consisted of a help desk offering that VARs and integrators can use to complement their own technical support services for customers.