ECopy Expands Its Channel Presence

Conventional wisdom says you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But that didn't deter eCopy from drastically changing its go-to-market strategy. The 13-year-old software company, which specializes in integrated document-management solutions, had been narrowly focused on its primary business with Canon for almost 10 years. Previously, eCopy's software was based on Canon's hardware platform, but the company made a major shift in its business model and opened up its APIs to construct its Open Platform Architecture, allowing its products to support virtually all major printing and imaging hardware vendors.

"A lot of people thought we were controlled or owned by Canon because we did most of our business with them," says Tom DiBurro, director of VAR and SI sales channels at eCopy. "This was a huge decision for us because it allows us to reach more customers and VARs."

Following the debut of eCopy's Open Platform Architecture, the Nashua, N.H.-based software company decided to build a fresh channel program to accompany its new technology strategy. After years of selling only through a Canon OEM alliance and its resellers, eCopy needed help. Thus, the company began talks with Cranel Imaging, the distribution division of Cranel Inc. The niche distributor, based in Columbus, Ohio, specializes in printing and imaging products.

"I'm constantly looking at technologies for resellers that will complement their businesses," says Scott Slack, vice president and general manager of Cranel Imagining. "I knew Tom DiBurro, so when we started talking about eCopy, I knew their technology matched what we look for."

As a result, Cranel Imaging and eCopy announced an exclusive new alliance in February that introduced the vendor's product set--which enables clients to transform paper documents into digital form and transfer the data to existing business processes and applications--to the distributor's 500-plus solution-provider customers. Because eCopy's channel experience was previously limited to Canon resellers, Slack says Cranel Imaging decided to aggressively promote the vendor. "The first step was introducing eCopy to our existing reseller customers," Slack says.

To do so, the distributor created technical Webinars to promote eCopy's integration products as well as its new Open Platform Architecture effort. "Opening up their APIs is an important development because it's a good story for eCopy to present to resellers and customers," Slack says. In addition, Cranel Imaging will support eCopy with a range of training, marketing, sales and support services backed by more than 30 Certified Document Imaging Architects. Resellers also will receive exclusive pricing discounts through the distributor.

Slack says Cranel Imaging will also help eCopy team with other vendors on its line card to encourage joint presentations and co-marketing efforts at industry trade shows and conferences. Slack also believes eCopy can help the distributor entice new reseller customers. "We will likely attract VARs through eCopy who have never worked with Cranel before," he says.

That's good news for the vendor, which launched its official partner program shortly after teaming up with Cranel Imaging. The program, dubbed eCopy Solution Provider Program, will offer members additional sales, marketing, training and technical support, as well as access to the vendor's partner program extranet. DiBurro says that eCopy will continue to do 100 percent of its sales through the channel. "This is a comprehensive strategy that is backed by senior management at eCopy," he says.

Some solution providers, such as One Touch Global Technology (OTGT) of Santa Ana Heights, Calif., which isn't a Canon reseller and, therefore, wasn't able to work with eCopy's software, are already familiar with eCopy and excited about the vendor's new accessibility. Scott Riley, president and CEO of OTGT, says the API strategy, distribution alliance and partner program offer a great incentive for his company to partner with eCopy.

"Cranel Imaging is great to work with, and so now is eCopy," Riley says. "We've always wanted a reason to move forward with them, and this has opened the door for us."

Cranel Imaging hopes to have between 30 to 40 solution providers signed up and doing significant business with eCopy before the end of the year. DiBurro says eCopy is eager to expand its partner base and target solution providers that work with other complementary document-management software vendors, such as Captaris, Documentum and Interwoven. Slack believes that helping companies like eCopy harness the channel will bring more value-added solutions to the table for resellers in the document-management and imaging space. "I think a good portion of the resellers we serve are dealing with higher-end solutions like eCopy's," Slack says, "and that's a good thing."

Cranel Imaging At a Glance

Headquarters: Columbus, Ohio

Parent company: Part of Cranel Inc., which includes Adexis, a storage integrator, and Versitec, an IT services firm

President and CEO: James H. Wallace, founder of Cranel

Customers: 500 resellers throughout United States and Canada

Specialties: Document management, imaging and storage

Vendors: Includes Canon, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Kodak and Panasonic