Gamma's direct selling has left 'sour taste in partners' mouths' - Exponential-e
Exponential-e has slammed rival Gamma for competing with its partners since going public.
The networking specialist claims to have taken advantage of partner frustrations with its competitor since it listed on the AIM market in 2014, according to its head of channel.
Alp Kostem told CRN that Gamma has been going direct more since its listing, which has sowed seeds of discontent in its partner base.
"We have a direct sales force but we're honest about it and have processes and procedures on managing conflict and how we segregate salesforces," he said.
"Whereas Gamma has gone about it differently, which has led to a sour taste in some of their smaller partners' mouths in terms of the way they feel they're being treated."
Konstem claimed that as Exponential-e has been investing heavily in public sector and enterprise, it rarely comes up against its partners and when it does, both parties are offering different solutions for the respective tender - which is a different story to what he claimed Gamma partners are experiencing.
"Gamma is competing directly, which has led to disillusionment among partners and we have picked up some of that business that we haven't had before," he stated.
"No partner ever defects fully because strong relationships are always in play but we definitely picked up business we wouldn't have picked up [because of how Gamma has acted].
"If vendor partners don't run an operation that is transparent and clear, partners don't like it and won't deal with them."
Exponential-e plays in both the vendor and MSP spaces, with the channel boss stating that each space is defined by the type of solutions it sells.
"We see ourselves in certain aspects of our product portfolio as an actual provider; in some instances we are a vendor-reseller and in other cases, we are an MSP," he explained.
"Five years ago I would have said we were more in the vendor side, but the product mix we sell on an annualised basis is moving closer to a traditional MSP-type service through the channel."
The company recently filed its fiscal year ending 31 January 2019, with revenues rising 13 per cent to £130m, of which Kostem said 45 per cent comes from channel sales.
The channel head stressed that this growth was organic and that M&A doesn't play a part in its strategy, but rather that certain elements of its portfolio are in high demand.
Cloud and the public sector are currently the fastest-growing sides of the business, according to Kostem, but security may well outpace them this year.
"I think the demand for security has shot up because our security operations centre (SOC) is fully operational now," he explained.
"I think there is a pent-up demand because most of our channel partners are buying and so educating and putting something in front of them that they can easily resell to their partner base [is driving demand].
"In essence, it's quite an easy upsell. The fact is we have a lot of product in the ground; we have a lot of wide area networks, partners and end users so it's a lot easier to sell into those customers who have experience of using our partners and us combined."
The networking provider is also experiencing "unprecedented" demand for SD-WAN, with Kostem stating that it has deployed its own software on seven big projects, and has been a part of 50 more.
"It is still not a mature product," he said.
"I am a great believer in horses for courses - in certain industries there is no need for this technology, but for others - retail, construction - there is a real need and it brings lots of benefits.
"Sometimes when we come into the selling point we are supplying the WAN so understanding what the end customer is trying to achieve doesn't always dictate an SD-WAN solution.
"There is a perception in the marketplace of it being more competitive in terms of price instead of the traditional multi-protocol label switching (MPLS)…but it will be cost-neutral in month 40 of a deal so there's not much in the way of cost benefits.
"The way to come at it is the benefits it brings to the day-to-day running - it has lots of efficiency savings to be made there."
source channelweb
Industry: Telecommunications News
Latest Jobs
-
- Account Manager - IT Services
- Germany
- €90000 plus OTE and Car
-
Are you a deal closer with a hunter mindset? Do you know how to uncover business pain points, and turn them into long-term digital transformation partnerships? Our Client are growing their sales force across Germany and looking for an ambitious, straight-talking Account Manager to take the lead on new client acquisition. You’ll focus on mid-sized to large enterprises across Germany helping to shape their digital future with tailored IT solutions in Workplace, Cloud, and Security. • Drive Growth: Own the full sales cycle for new business across your region. • Solution Sell: Build bespoke offers in Security, Digital Workplace and Cloud solutions • Build Relationships: Establish a solid pipeline through smart prospecting, marketing-driven leads, and your own network. • Represent a brand known for trust, delivery, and tech excellence—with 4,000 employees globally and a growing team within Germany. What You Bring • Proven new logo sales experience in the IT services space (not hardware!) • Deep knowledge in one or more of: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, or Cloud • Confidence to lead enterprise deals and pitch directly to senior stakeholders • Fluent German and good English skills Sind Sie ein Abschlussprofi mit Hunter-Mentalität? Wissen Sie, wie man geschäftliche Pain Points identifiziert und in langfristige Partnerschaften zur digitalen Transformation verwandelt? Unser Kunde baut derzeit sein Vertriebsteam in ganz Deutschland aus und sucht eine ambitionierte, ehrliche Persönlichkeit als Account Manager, die den Lead bei der Neukundengewinnung übernimmt. Ihr Fokus liegt auf mittelständischen bis großen Unternehmen in Deutschland, denen Sie mit maßgeschneiderten IT-Lösungen in den Bereichen Workplace, Cloud und Security den Weg in die digitale Zukunft ebnen. Ihre Aufgaben • Wachstum vorantreiben: Verantwortung für den gesamten Vertriebszyklus im Neugeschäft Ihrer Region. • Lösungsorientierter Vertrieb: Entwicklung individueller Angebote in den Bereichen Security, Digital Workplace und Cloud-Lösungen. • Beziehungen aufbauen: Aufbau einer stabilen Pipeline durch gezielte Ansprache, marketinggenerierte Leads und Ihr eigenes Netzwerk. • Marke repräsentieren: Werden Sie Teil eines Unternehmens mit 4.000 Mitarbeitenden weltweit und einem stark wachsenden Team in Deutschland – bekannt für Vertrauen, Verlässlichkeit und technologische Exzellenz. Was Sie mitbringen • Nachgewiesene Erfahrung in der Neukundenakquise im Bereich IT-Services (kein Hardwarevertrieb!) • Fundiertes Wissen in mindestens einem der Bereiche: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace oder Cloud • Selbstbewusstes Auftreten im Umgang mit Enterprise-Deals und Entscheidungsträgern auf Top-Level • Verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse und gute Englischkenntnisse
-
- Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance
- London
- To attract the right person
-
Job Title: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance Location: Hybrid remote | London / Berkshire Overview: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3 to join a specialist Managed Security Services business. You will be responsible for advanced threat hunting / triage, incident response etc with a strong focus on the Microsoft Security Stack. Key Responsibilities: Lead and resolve complex security incidents / escalations Conduct advanced threat hunting using the Microsoft Security Stack. Build, optimise and maintain workbooks, rules, analytics etc. Correlate data across Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Sentinel. Perform root cause analysis and post-incident reporting. Aid in mentoring and upskilling Level 1 and 2 SOC analysts. Required Skills & Experience: The ability to achieve UK Security Clearance (SC) – existing clearance ideal. (Sorry no visa applications) Current experience working with a SOC environment Microsoft Sentinel: Development and tuning of custom analytic rules. Workbook creation and dashboarding. Automation using Playbooks and SOAR integration. Kusto Query Language (KQL): Writing complex, efficient queries for advanced threat hunting and detection. Correlating data across key tables (e.g., SignInLogs, SecurityEvent, OfficeActivity, DeviceEvents). Developing custom detection rules, optimising performance, and reducing false positives. Supporting Sentinel Workbooks, Alerts, and Playbooks through advanced KQL use. Deep understanding of incident response, threat intelligence and adversary techniques (MITRE ATT&CK framework). Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security, particularly within Azure. Additional Requirements: Must hold or be eligible to achieve a minimum of Security Clearance (SC) level. Nice to have certifications (e.g., SC-200, AZ-500, GIAC) are desirable. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication for clear documentation and team collaboration. Please follow Wheaton’s Law.
-
- New Business Sales Hunter | Cyber Security (UK Based)
- London
- To attract the right person
-
New Business Sales Hunter needed | Cybersecurity (UK Based) Are you looking for uncapped commission, a fun and sociable team that drives success with no politics? If so...You must Be UK based - and able to achieve UK SC clearance. (sorry no visas) Have a demonstrable history of sales success in Cyber Security Follow Weatons law. The role: Seeking a proven New Business Sales Hunter to join an established, successful and expanding cyber security firm. New business focused - £1m GP year one target (ramped). Sell a blend of security services & professional services. Ideal experience selling some or all of the following Cyber strategy & risk management Managed detection & response (MDR) Penetration testing Compliance & audit support You: Strong cybersecurity/IT services sales track record. Confident selling into mid-market & enterprise. UK based - London commutable 1x per week. Hunter mindset, full sales cycle ownership. Don't just send an email to apply give me a call on 07884666351
-
- CyberArk Architect
- London
- Upto £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Are you ready to lead from the front and drive innovation in the Identity & Access Management (IAM) space? We’re looking for a seasoned CyberArk Architect who has CDE-CPC ideally or experience with privilege Cloud, someone who can lead with vision, execute with precision, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. As a key leader in our organisation, you’ll bring your strong business acumen and a technology-focused, innovative mindset to the table. You’ll be driving strategic initiatives, shaping transformation programs, and empowering teams to think big and deliver even bigger. Acting as a subject matter expert in CyberArk Leading strategic transformations in: Identity Governance Privileged Access Management (PAM) Access Management Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships within the team Communicating clearly and confidently — both written and verbal — to deliver updates, raise potential issues, and share insights If you are interested in the above position we are looking for people with: deep expertise and a successful track record in IAM strategy, delivery, or assurance with CyberArk Hold relevant certifications such as CDE in Privileged Cloud or Guardian Have experience in a client-facing role (preferred, but not essential) Thrive in a hybrid working environment and are available to work from our or client London office three days a week Lead with clarity, communicate with impact, and adapt quickly to changing priorities