"Resellers and distributors will be an extended arm of our sales force"

Monika Doshi, instrumental in the recent spin-off of Snap Appliances, Inc. from Quantum Corporation's Server Appliances Division, has played a key role in the strategic development and global growth of the business and marketing for the Snap Server product line. As International Marketing Manager, she is committed to creating an international presence for Snap. She was in Delhi recently to launch the Snap servers in India. CI caught up with her for a tete-a-tete to discuss Snap's vision for India.

What role do you visualize for channels for Snap servers?

Our first objective would be to enhance channel awareness about storage attached network (SAN) and the Snap server product line. This we will accomplish through advertising, PR, trade shows and vertical market seminars. Resellers and distributors will be an extended arm of our sales force that reaches out to the final customer. Under our Certified Snap Partner Program, resellers will be trained, to technically equip them to give demos, answer technical questions and establish a high degree of comfort with the customer. 

What channel strategy will you adopt to drive this business through the channels?

We are here in the launch phase. And we are starting on a fresh note. Quantum is a diversified storage company and Snap Appliances was spun off to establish a focus in the SAN market. This will be our primary objective. To focus and build on the SAN market in India. 

As a precedent, we have no landmarks in India. But going by the response that we have had in Asia Pacific, we will make a mark in India too. We have had reseller seminars in cities, including tier two cities, across the country and have seen a tremendous enthusiasm from the channel. The main challenge is awareness now. The channel strategy would be to appoint partners and develop a channel network.

Would you leverage the Quantum brand and channel in India?

Quantum is a diversified storage company and like I said, Snap Appliances was spun off in October last year to focus on the NAS market. With storage demand increasing day by day, it is an opportunity to capitalize on. We will establish a presence of Snap Appliances in India and build a channel exclusively for that. 

While Quantum also targets the end customer, our main focus with Snap servers will be the corporate work group. This means that the primary focus of our promotion exercise will be network integrators and the IT managers. Quantum will continue its operations and we will establish our presence too.

That would mean a part of your efforts would be directed towards building a brand image. How will you do that?

Brand image has to be built, because this is very different from selling components. This is an emerging technology and we will have to work closely with our resellers and distributors to push sales and on the other end we will have get to the end users and the IT managers to ensure that Snap server is seen as a cost effective storage solution. 

We will try and accomplish this through the media, solution seminars, trade shows and other related activities. These events will showcase SAN and build for it a platform to be seen as a cost-effective solution and a definite alternative to the NT server. This will create a pull and the push will come through our Certified Snap Partners. 

This is a challenge at hand as of now, but the ease of use that comes with the product, repeat sales will happen faster. Word of mouth is an important tool that will help enhance awareness. It is just the first sale that has to be made. And consequently the image will come with our performance.

The channel, of late, has been complaining of inadequate margins. Will you provide satisfactory margins to the channel?

Snap server is an extremely cost effective storage solution, which costs up to 50 percent less than an NT server. So the reseller will not just sell the product, his package will include the installation and the service aspect. We will train him. 

So with volumes picking up, the reseller will stand to have revenue come in through the installation and service too. And since this is a solution that is easy to install and use, the benefit will roll in. Our experience, both in the US and then in Asia Pacific, tells us that only the first sale has to be made. So margins are protected.

This new product line will call for a certain amount of training that will have to be imparted to the channels. What will be your efforts on that front?

Like I said, the channel will be an extended part of our sales force and we will impart the requisite amount of training under the Snap Certified Partner Program. And the ease of usage that the appliance comes with will only help them build on their comfort with the product and the margins too! What the channel has to understand is that the Snap servers are plug-and-play devices that do not lead to network downtime. This in reality leads to reduction of cost of ownership. So apart from technical training, we will also focus on acquainting the channel that the solution brings with it. 

What new products are you planning to introduce in the market in the days to come?

Snap appliances, after the spin off is focussed only on the NAS market. So are offerings will be limited to this market.

In what ways are you planning to face the onslaught of e-commerce?

We have a presence on the web, need less to say. However channels play and will continue to play an important role in our plans. Reiterating, our channel is an extended arm. We will endeavor to work and grow with the channel.

Mohit Chabbra In Delhi