iDvio has signed a distribution agreement with cloud-based video conferencing provider, Starleaf, by which the firm will offer the latter’s solution for resellers to retail in New Zealand.
“iDvio is the distribution concern attached with Connect. Connect is one of the most well-known and trusted audio-visual (AV) integrator in the country. We felt that this partnership was the best for us as we move into the market,” said Mark Richer, chairman of Starleaf.
By the terms of the agreement, resellers will be able to purchase subscription packages for upto three years for Starleaf’s video conferencing solution from iDvio. They can then sell this on to end-user clients as a monthly service, on a per-user or per-bridge port basis, or even bundle it with other solutions.
“We believe that resellers can potentially make a 25 per cent margin in dealing with Starleaf’s service offering. The margin could become bigger over time,” said Brian Evans, product manager at iDvio.
iDvio will work with existing resellers, as well as look to add selective resellers, to market Starleaf’s service offering. Evans however makes it clear that they will be careful about how many resellers they pick, since they don’t want to lose quality with quantity.
Starleaf’s video conferencing solution is delivered out of co-locations points spread across the globe. The firm is in the process of testing a co-location point in New Zealand, and once it goes live in about a month’s time, all client traffic from the country will be directed to this facility.
“Traditional video conferencing has focused on massive technology elements, and the user experience and interface was the last priority. We have turned that equation around with Starleaf, where the user experience is key.
Our service makes video conferencing easy and intuitive for organisations to use, and what’s more, it can link and talk to existing technology installations. So a firm does not have to go out and change all of their infrastructure just to get Starleaf,” stated Richer.
Starleaf is planning on an Australian co-location facility in Sydney as well, though it does not expect this to go live before it is settled into the New Zealand market. Face To Face Communications has been the firm’s distributor in Australia for the last year.
“The video conferencing service is relevant to customers with multiple, distributed offices, or a mobile staff that need to be able to sign into a call wherever they are. The first level support will be provided by resellers. The second level will move up to the distributor level and then to Starleaf’s support centre, which is based in California,” says Simon Downey, CEO of Face To Face Communications.
With changing desires in the video conferencing market, and the increasing availability of bandwidth, Starleaf expects its services will grow in adoption and move up the chain from smaller, distributed companies to larger enterprises, in the near future.
“We are a channel-oriented company though, and all of our sales will continue to be conducted by resellers and channel partners. In fact, we do have options for co-branding of the service with our partners but, mind you, this is for very high level partners who have already shown their commitment,” concluded Richer.
