Moderated by: Jason Alley
Thursday morning a colleague of mine forwarded a press release announcing Interactive Intelligence (I3) and Spanlink Communications have signed a nationwide reseller agreement. It explained that, as an "Elite Partner," Spanlink will be authorized to sell, deploy and support I3 solutions. This is an interesting announcement that probably has a few folks scratching their heads. Why would Spanlink be “excited to diversify” its product portfolio when they have enjoyed a close relationship with Cisco for so long?
Is this part of a natural, mutually understood progression following the spin-off of Spanlink’s software product development business in 2007 (under the name Calabrio)?
Are times too tough for exclusive arrangements?
Is Spanlink seeing broader, more formidable competition in Cisco contact center deals?
Has Spanlink lost (due to layoffs or attrition) Cisco specialists and finding it hard to manage larger, more complex enterprise deployments? Do they believe the I3 product requires less internal resources to sell and support contact center solutions?
Is Spanlink looking to broaden its market reach by more aggressively pursuing the SMB market? Do they see the I3 solution as the best vehicle to address this market?
Are Cisco and I3 interested in a closer relationship and using this is a mechanism to test the market’s response to a combined offering (I3 for SMB and Cisco UCCE for larger enterprise deals), and could Cisco be conceding the SMB business?
These are all great questions.
Some would argue that, unless the answer to the last question above is YES, this is not a wise move. They would say that Spanlink has taken their eye off the ball and that the benefit of an expanded portfolio does not outweigh the risk placed on their Cisco partnership and business. Others would argue that this is a smart move and that there is plenty of room for both products in Spanlink’s portfolio - one focused on the SMB market and one focused on the larger enterprise. I’m sure these proponents would have liked the press release to make it clear how the two product sets are to be rationalized in terms of Spanlink’s go-to-market strategy.
It’s my guess that Spanlink, like most companies these days, is being challenged financially and is looking for ways to expand its market reach. I3 has done very well in the SMB space and would be a strong candidate for anyone considering such a move. Spanlink is likely facing these challenges (if my theory is correct) as a result of the recession and increased competition from other Cisco channels in the contact center space - at a time when specialized resources are likely more scarce (within companies). Is re-selling I3 solutions a better answer than investing more heavily in their existing Cisco business? I’m not sure. I’ll reserve my opinion for when I learn more. Stay tuned...
What are your thoughts, reactions?
Are times too tough for exclusive arrangements?
Is Spanlink seeing broader, more formidable competition in Cisco contact center deals?
Has Spanlink lost (due to layoffs or attrition) Cisco specialists and finding it hard to manage larger, more complex enterprise deployments? Do they believe the I3 product requires less internal resources to sell and support contact center solutions?
Is Spanlink looking to broaden its market reach by more aggressively pursuing the SMB market? Do they see the I3 solution as the best vehicle to address this market?
Are Cisco and I3 interested in a closer relationship and using this is a mechanism to test the market’s response to a combined offering (I3 for SMB and Cisco UCCE for larger enterprise deals), and could Cisco be conceding the SMB business?
These are all great questions.
Some would argue that, unless the answer to the last question above is YES, this is not a wise move. They would say that Spanlink has taken their eye off the ball and that the benefit of an expanded portfolio does not outweigh the risk placed on their Cisco partnership and business. Others would argue that this is a smart move and that there is plenty of room for both products in Spanlink’s portfolio - one focused on the SMB market and one focused on the larger enterprise. I’m sure these proponents would have liked the press release to make it clear how the two product sets are to be rationalized in terms of Spanlink’s go-to-market strategy.
It’s my guess that Spanlink, like most companies these days, is being challenged financially and is looking for ways to expand its market reach. I3 has done very well in the SMB space and would be a strong candidate for anyone considering such a move. Spanlink is likely facing these challenges (if my theory is correct) as a result of the recession and increased competition from other Cisco channels in the contact center space - at a time when specialized resources are likely more scarce (within companies). Is re-selling I3 solutions a better answer than investing more heavily in their existing Cisco business? I’m not sure. I’ll reserve my opinion for when I learn more. Stay tuned...
What are your thoughts, reactions?
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