Ingram unveils reseller training centre

Distributor Ingram Micro has moved to further shake off its tag as a volume-based box mover, teaming up with seven big name vendors to launch a free training centre for resellers.

The distributor created the Orbitel training centre sponsored by Symantec, IBM, Microsoft, HP, D-Link, Computer Associates and Adobe.

It offers Ingram Micro partners training activities which they can evaluate and validate for the vendors sponsoring the program.

Rob McPherson, project manager for Orbitel said the training will focus on sales skills product knowledge and awareness.

“Orbitel came about through a survey Ingram Micro undertook of resellers who wanted assistance with product training,” he said.

McPherson said Ingram discovered there was a gap between sharing information and vendor’s actually facilitating skills and knowledge development with partners.

Ingram will assist vendors to redesign courses through training consulting firms like Channel Dynamics. Selected resellers will have hands on experience with evolving vendor learning policies.

McPherson said, “it’s not just dumping information on resellers. They will be able evaluate and review training courses. This will give vendors an opportunity to recognise further opportunities for reseller education within the channel.”

Moheb Moses, director of Channel Dynamics said it was vital to actually educate resellers instead of boring them with mass amounts of data.

“The aim of some vendor training is to get through a Powerpoint presentation - you almost want to smack them [the vendors] in the head. Orbitel will help identify what information resellers need and how they want it presented,” he said.

Orbitel was established in April 2006 and the first round of training will occur in May.

Late last year, Ingram launched a technical lab facility in Rosebery, Sydney, in another move aimed at giving it more credibility as a value-added distributor.