3 Ways to Profit Selling Siemens OpenScape Cloud

by Tim Cook
Cloud Communications profitability is very different from what most Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are used to.  The opportunity for profits is wide open but requires a new understanding and tools on which to capitalize.  I have defined 3 key areas of profit opportunity Votela is facilitating with its partners:

1. Services Bundling

2. Repacking

3. Evolving to a wholesale model

Services bundling is the ability to leverage an open billing platform model to bundle in value added services with a anchor seat such as a Votela/Siemens OpenScape Cloud seat.  Examples of value added services are:  managed port, managed desktop, virtual desktop, security, etc.  Most VARs and MSPs specialize in some area other than voice, bundling in these value added services ensure differentiation in the market place and put the VAR and MSP back in the business of solving business problems, not just pushing someone else’s product.
Repacking is taking service bundling to the next level.  VARs and MSPs take an anchor product and repackage it with other services to create a new bundle.  An example of this might be:  desktop bundle, secure voice bundle, voice and video bundle, healthcare bundle, financial bundle, education bundle, etc.  Repackaging facilitates the creation of new product offerings addressing specific enterprise needs, as well as, specific vertical needs.
The opportunity to evolve ones business to the next level is an opportunity not found with most cloud providers.  It is very important to facilitate the process of moving to a wholesale model in order to generate more margins to fund growth and new initiates leveraging the paths to profit defined above.  The wholesale model is not the place to start for most as it requires significant overhead with FCC and Taxation Compliance, as well as, understanding both the carrier, cloud and premise elements of telephony with resources to manage, maintain and support these elements.
The 3 profit opportunities defined in this blog post require a very comprehensive and flexible model, as well as, an organization behind it to help VARs and MSP's manage the process with access to the sophisticated tools necessary to facilitate these opportunities.  This is Votela's key value in the market.