As a journalist at Australian Reseller News:
Following a record quarter, Queensland-based NetBox Blue has appointed its first worldwide sales director to support growth of its local and international channel.
The networking vendor has recruited Steven Bragg, an industry veteran with 19 years sales experience in large corporations, government, manufacturing, and the finance sectors, for the role. He has worked with several IT brands, including IBM and LSI Logic Corporation.
"Steven is joining the team now to really drive the local and international sales for the company," NetBox Blue chairman, John Fison, said. "Our investment in the sales team over the last year has really established the local channel and Steve will look to develop this further and grow it."
Since its inception in 1999, NetBox Blue has recruited business partners across Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the US. The vendor has an expanding local channel of about 50 partners. It is forecasting a two-fold sales increase this financial year.
Bragg said he planned to enhance the vendor's offerings while remaining committed to NetBox Blue's channel-only sales model.
"One of my immediate focuses is developing our channel model to support the demands of a technology vendor growing at our pace," he said. "Our challenge is to ensure we have right partners in place to deliver and support these solutions across our chosen vertical markets."
To better support business partners, NetBox Blue is adding several new sales and pre-sales staff in Sydney and Melbourne. It is also developing a formal certification program designed to equip channel partners' personnel with several levels of technical and pre-sales qualifications. The program is expected to be launch by quarter end.
NetBox Blue currently maintains a single-tier channel model. Bragg said a new platinum partner tier was now in the works for launch in the second half of this year. This would offer further support via joint marketing initiatives, development funds and priority lead referrals.
