Optus makes play for SMB resellers

Optus has made a move to entice resellers to take on its SMB products portfolio. The telco giant has identified the reseller channel as a “new focus area for Optus SMB”.

A spokesperson for Optus told CRN the telco “recently made some changes” to its SMB team.

“[It] has given us the opportunity to create new roles and better deliver against our customers’ unique set of business needs and requirements,” they said.

Optus sees the SMB channel as “one that requires a very strict channel management set-up to unlock what is seen to be significant customer and commercial opportunities over the next the years”.

To meet reseller needs, Optus is looking to hire a director of national sales channels and channel development and national manager reseller partners – SMB.

According to job ads posted by the telco, the Optus Small and Medium Business (SMB) team has a range of SMB services including mobile, fixed landlines, cloud and ICT solutions, networking, broadband, satellite and entertainment services.

The director of national sales channels and channel development will report to the head of SMB.

“The primary purpose of the role is to successfully execute the sales strategy to substantively grow and retain existing market share in the SMB segment through the direct and Indirect sales teams,” states Optus.

“The position has overall accountability for new sales, retention and revenue growth within the SMB team through identifying, acquiring and retaining customers in the SMB segment for all Optus products -- including mobile voice and data, fixed voice and data, a range of PABX products through external vendors, Loop and ICT.”

Optus' national manager reseller partners – SMB role will have a “key leadership role” in the SMB sales division, reporting to the associate director partner channels.

According to Optus they will have “direct accountability for the strategy development; and execution; direct relationship; and business performance with key state based and national retail reseller partners who buy from Optus and sell Optus SMB products.”

The role has “direct responsibility for the relationship with the reseller partners”. This will include the “direct management of the day-to-day relationships and strict governance of regulatory and compliance obligations”.

As national manager reseller partners they will have "full and complete accountability for the commercial performance and growth of the reseller portfolio – including number and type of reseller partners, as well as any necessary contract management, product design and commercial considerations for each partnership,” states Optus.

They will also be responsible for the management of an existing fleet business customer base through the “Channel Support team” providing dealer support and internal escalation points for channel partner customers.

In November 2019, iTnews reported Optus planned to extend “Apple’s business channel by declaring its intention to open 220 “small business zones” in its retail stores, all staffed by specially-trained personnel and showcasing the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch”.