Avaya's new Shepperd outlines path

In his first interview since becoming the new UK managing director of Avaya, Andrew Shepperd says a “back to basics” approach is what the channel needs.

“The role of channel is not just about technology,” he cautions. “It’s the economy that’s demanding change for a back to basics approach. It’s an old fashioned rediscovery of what are the priorities of the customer, the commercial position and organisation, to find out what they are trying to deliver for their customers and users. ...what the value in pound [is]!”

Shepperd joined Avaya from BluePrint for Change, a UK-based management consultancy that works closely with both private and public sector clients. Prior to that role, he was MD of a board-level role at Azlan. Sheppard’s appointment coincides with the distributor ending its distribution agreement with Avaya in the UK although it will continue in other parts of EMEA.

Although not able to discuss that area, the new MD felt that in the coming months the channel needed to focus back on “value oriented selling” with OPEX becoming a key discussion points for more customers. In terms of market areas for growth, Sheppard highlighted the strength of its Aura platform as a draw for new partners and the potential of its strong data portfolio to enhance the solution sell especially, “as we go deeper into our customer specific solution, in particular in video – that is really about the aggregation of messaging and collaboration.”

In his view the three focus areas for Avaya and the channel are better engagement with partners and “skilling up” with the goal of “doing more profitable business.”

Avaya will be outlining its channel strategy in more detail at the upcoming partner conference in Berlin in November.