Mosser takes Lexmark's channel reigns

After restructuring the division, strategic partner manager Carmel Mosser was promoted to Lexmark’s newly created role of SMB and channel manager.

Previously taking care of the larger national channel partners, Mosser has been with Lexmark for three years. Prior to that, she spent
seven years with Fuji Xerox and Fuji Xerox Printers.

CRN: When did you join Lexmark?
CM: I joined Lexmark at the end of March 2004 as a national strategic partner manager because Lexmark was and continues to be a market leader in printing solutions rather than just selling a box. After meeting with Lexmark senior management I saw that Lexmark also had a key vision for colour.

Also the IBM heritage appealed to me as well as the fact that Lexmark was a US multinational that was very strong financially. This new position within Lexmark has provided me with a natural progression into sales and channel management.

CRN: What is your background?
CM: My IT industry experience goes back to 1989 and has ranged broadly across the networking, publishing, imaging and printing sectors.

Initially I was involved with designing and implementing network systems for customers including Australian Consolidated Press, Horwitz Publications and Pacific Magazines. From there I later moved into the desktop imaging market.

My break in the colour printing sector was with Tektronix Australia when I became its national reseller partner manager in 1995. It was acquired in 1997 by Fuji Xerox Australia and I moved to a business development manager position within Fuji’s printer division, occupying roles including distribution manager and northern region sales manager, until 2004.

CRN: How do you think your background will help with you with your new position at Lexmark?
CM: A keen interest in colour imaging technology was sparked at Tektronix and the channel programs implemented there as well as at
Xerox provided me with a good perspective on how to win in a highly competitive market.

CRN: What are Lexmark’s local channel plans and how will it
benefit resellers?
CM: The plan for Lexmark’s channel is to drive longer term strategic partnerships with our key print specialist and IT resellers, through our very rich reseller programs.

Our Lexmark channel sales team will facilitate high engagement with our reseller partners so we encourage joint sales growth. We will provide this by showing our partners the way to take advantage of the unique revenue annuity streams that come from printing and strongly articulating the implications of print for our partners’ customers and
their business.

CRN: Some of your competitors have recently said it would go direct with printer products. What does Lexmark think about this?
CM: Lexmark is committed to the channel and the full line-up of Lexmark printer and imaging products is available to all of our channel partners. Lexmark also develops solutions, including our vertical market offerings, which are available to our partners. For some of our print specialist resellers, we also go the extra step and develop custom design solutions for our higher end equipment.

In all cases, the Lexmark channel strategic partner would work with resellers to identify opportunities and, if needed, provide the technical resources required to meet the end user customer needs.

CRN: What do resellers mean to Lexmark?
CM: Lexmark sees our channel as a key extension of our capabilities in providing Lexmark’s offerings to the Australian and New Zealand market.

The vendor recognises the value that partners bring to the table with sales and technical abilities, supply chain and logistics, and, most importantly, to relationships with the end-user customer.

“The plan for Lexmark’s channel is to drive longer term strategic partnerships.“

channel hardware mosser reigns takes