Distributor Tech Data Corp. (NASDAQ: TECD) has released its new StreamOne Software License Selector tool to help reduce complexities for its Canadian and U.S.-based reseller partners that sell and distribute software.
The tool, available on its Canadian and U.S. Web sites, enables resellers to more efficiently sell and distribute software.
Greg Myers, vice-president of marketing at Tech Data Canada said StreamOne is comprised of four steps that guide resellers through the software-purchase cycle. The StreamOne tool will go through hundreds of thousands of software SKUs from 27 software vendors, identify the correct software part number, provide the most accurate pricing and display the correct license type.
Vendors supported by the StreamOne tool include Adobe, Autodesk, Check Point, Kaspersky, McAfee, Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, Symantec and VMware.
“While we do have some sophisticated software resellers that are very knowledgeable about (software) and who make sure customers are fully licensed from a compliance point of view, there are some resellers who have mixed hardware and software sales and aren’t as confident with the software portion of the business,” Myers said. “This tool simplifies this activity for partners and allows them to quote software with a higher level of confidence when it comes to compliance and ensuring quality.”
Mathieu Lescadre, president of Montreal-based value-added reseller i2p, which offers network services and maintenance for servers and workstations, has been using Tech Data’s StreamOne for a little while now.
“I think it’s a very good (tool),” Lescadre said. “I like to be self-sufficient and with the tool, I can do all the research I need (for software) more easily. One of the best parts of the tool is you can add customers into an address book so the next time you place a new order or make a search, it’s quick and easy to do. This way, I save time and it’s a good way for me to make more sales.”
Myers said the launch of the new tool will likely open up new lines of business for resellers that may not offer software solutions.
“Partners that haven’t looked at software as an important ingredient in their business mix may look at it differently with StreamOne,” Myers said. “Software is a great business for a reseller to engage in. Because there’s no physical distribution of products, it reduces the cost of delivering that technology to the customer which in turns drives a net profit for the reseller.”
While Myers said the StreamOne offering is essentially the same in Canada and the U.S., the primary differences are around French language software products and SKUs for the Canadian federal government.
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