Ingram Micro Launches ISV Program for VARS

Distributor Ingram Micro Inc. has enlisted a dozen software developers to participate in a program designed to put VARs together with software makers to increase sales for both in niche application markets.

Enrolled in the program, which officially launches next week, are a plethora of developers, offering everything from document imaging to software that handles medical prescriptions to surveillance management.

According to the Santa Ana, Calif., distributor, the program brings specialized software developers together with VARs and integrators. Together, the ISVs and VARs can draw on Ingram Micro’s extensive roster of other suppliers to deliver customized solutions to specific verticals.

Rates between ISVs and VARs are prenegotiated by Ingram Micro. That means resellers do not have to expend any effort on price negotiations, which frees them to focus more on the selling side.

Resellers can earn up to 15 percent commission on ISV applications, according to Ingram Micro.

Justin Crotty, Ingram Micro’s vice president of channel marketing, said the ISV program is another in a series of initiatives through which the distributor wants to help VARs find new business opportunities.

Other services include the recently launched Ingram Micro Outlet for North America. The program allows VARs to trade functional but used equipment, such as laptops and LCD flat-panel monitors, for credits to their Ingram Micro accounts.

By taking advantage of the solutions offered through the ISV program, resellers can expand into new markets, grow business with existing clients and boost their revenue, according to publicity material from Ingram. VARs and integrators have an opportunity to step beyond their traditional products and services role to become more specialized.

One of the ISVs enrolled in the program is document imaging vendor Questys Solutions, which has turned to the channel in recent months to target the SMB (small and midsize business) market.

The Mission Viejo, Calif., company spent nine months working with the distributor on their partnership and preparing a channel program, said Colby Weaver, Questys vice president of sales.

Partnering with Ingram Micro lent immediate credibility to Questys’ channel initiative, said Andre Pavlovic, Questys executive vice president and chief operating officer.

“We’ve gained valuable resources, established new vendor partnerships, and successfully developed and launched our indirect sales model,” he said.

The other ISV partners enrolled in the program are ASAP Software Inc., which makes IT asset management solutions; Berbee Information Networks Corp., maker of IP telephony applications; DataCore Software, maker of storage control applications; Healthvision, which develops medical prescription management solutions; Integrated Research Ltd., which makes applications that assess a network’s ability to support IP telephony; JDS, developer of digital surveillance software; Litescape Technologies, maker of software that manages multimodal sessions over a convergent network; Marathon Technologies, developer of fault- and disaster-tolerance software; SteelEye Technology Inc., maker of business continuity solutions; TelRex, which makes IP-based call-recording and monitoring software; and WebEx Communications Inc., which provides an online collaboration tool.

VARs and integrators can participate in the ISV program in one of two ways. One is a licensing agreement through which resellers buy software SKUs. The other is a referral process through which a reseller is matched with an appropriate ISV to implement a solution.