Comms-care initiates European expansion

Channel services firm Comms-care is set to launch offices across Europe to support its network of 400 UK partners.

The firm opened its first continental outpost in Madrid last month, with offices also planned for Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.

Although the new European staff will initially provide Cisco maintenance services on behalf of an unnamed virtual network operator, Comms-care is keen to offer European support to more of its existing UK VARs.

Speaking exclusively to CRN, Richard Eglon, marketing manager at Comms-care, said the expansion would see the firm’s network of field engineers swell from 80 to 120 over the next 12 months.

“We’re looking to help resellers that want to open up new revenue streams in Europe, but haven’t felt that the existing support companies out there can offer the right level of service,” he said.

“We won’t be going direct to the end-user and will help the reseller from the bid process through to support of maintenance and installation. Being UK-based, resellers can have the same relationship they have with us in the UK.”

Eglon said that UK VARs are increasingly being asked to provide pan-European support because more end-users are opening small satellite office overseas.

Alan Edwards, managing director of reseller Orange Information Systems, said: “The way Comms-care is expanding is great for us, because we are starting to service European offices of UK-based clients.

“We’ve used some of the big players and they’re just faceless organisations. With Comms-care, if there’s an issue we can speak to the organ grinder immediately.”

Eglon said Comms-care, which is on course to almost double turnover to £10m in 2007, is also contemplating opening offices further afield in the US, Canada and Australia.

Comms-care expands to Ireland

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