Telarus Hosted UC Lab Aims to Accelerate Partners' Learning Curve

CHANNEL PARTNERS EVOLUTION — Master agent Telarus (Booth G72) is offering its new Hosted UC Lab with “no-pressure test drives” to educate the partner community.

Patrick Oborn, Telarus’ co-founder, tells Channel Partners that partners have a difficult time explaining the value of each of the many offerings, and therefore conversations default to price.

“This means they’re sending their customers down a path where each of the UC elements won’t interoperate, and the hosted PBX becomes a digital plain old telephone service (POTS) line instead of the voice piece of the UC puzzle,” he said. “Hosted UC, used properly, means companies can do more with less. That is key for all businesses as they compete in a global economy.”

Agents who understand which hosted UC providers integrate with SalesForce through an iPad app, for example, will be the ones who garner the trust and loyalty of their clients, Oborn said.

“Being perceived as the technology expert and being different from the rest is, or should be, every agent’s goal,” he said. “There is no one right answer with hosted UC, so it gives all agents an equal chance to solve puzzles differently, ending the price war and transitioning the battle to one of smarts, creativity and listening to the needs of your customers.”{ad}

Apart from all of its training aids, Telarus found the best way for an agent to learn about hosted UC is to experience the product first-hand. The company has dedicated its entire booth at this week’s Channel Partners Evolution in Washington, D.C., to its Hosted UC Lab.

“Whenever an agent, or anyone, can touch and experience a technology with their own eyes, it becomes understandable and digestible,” Oborn said. “It will also help them recognize different platforms when talking to future prospects, since they’re more familiar with the technology and how people can and should be using it.”

The goal of the Hosted UC Lab is to help partners see just how “awesome these products are in a hands-on environment,” he said.

“It also allows our suppliers to showcase technology that allows its users to leverage UC as a competitive weapon instead of being treated like a simple utility,” Oborn said. “Once our partners see, touch and use the technology, it will unlock their own creativity and help them develop selling strategies that will make them a ton of money.”