AB&T Traverses Telecom Quagmires For VARs Breaking Out Of The Mold

Forming relationships with major carriers and ISPs and managing myriad partnerships isn't easy, however. Enter AB&T Telecom, a master agent that already has relationships in place to help establish VARs and systems integrators as communications service providers.

Take Computerware, for example. In the '70s the Vienna, Va.-based company was an office supplier that branched out as a PC reseller. In the '90s, the company moved into the services arena by becoming an authorized service provider for IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Xerox. Still, Computerware President Chip Evans saw that services needed to continue evolving. That led him back to long-standing partner AB&T Sales, the sister company of AB&T Telecom.

"We don't want to be a box mover," Evans said. "You can't make any money doing just that, so in the last three or four years there's been a big emphasis here on services and working with Emmet."

Emmet Tydings, that is. As president of AB&T Telecom, Tydings is a strong proponent of helping traditional VARs and systems integrators edge into the communications arena,and making that transition as simple as possible.

Prior to working with AB&T Telecom, Computerware would set up a network and leave connectivity to the customer. Now Computerware nabs that piece of business and the residual that comes along with it, Evans said.

"With what Emmet brought to the table, we now have a way of generating monthly revenues and taking complete control of sales," Evans said.

AB&T Telecom currently works with about 40 VARs, and most of those relationships evolved from computer sales agent AB&T Sales.

"I wouldn't even attempt to form the relationships we have with carriers today. It would probably be impossible because it's become too complex," Tydings said. "The [carriers have traction and are only interested in volume business, which creates a barrier to entry for anyone starting out now."

A start-up in the communications service space like My PC Guy, then, shouldn't stand a chance. But with AB&T Telecom, the process of becoming a service provider is pretty easy, requiring a new agent to sign a mere one-page contract because, in many cases, the agent already has a relationship with AB&T Sales.

There are no volume requirements as there are with carriers, and with each sale the agent partner starts receiving a monthly residual, Tydings said.

AB&T Telecom provides training in quoting and registering with carriers, and AB&T Telecom employees also assist in the first several sales.

The carriers help them get this done. Qwest Communications International is particularly adept at providing realtime competitive quotes to AB&T Telecom and agents, Tydings said.

"It's been a pretty straightforward process working with [AB&T," said Robert Kaitz, president and CEO of My PC Guy, Severna Park, Md. "They do all the research, get us realtime quotes, handle all the back end. It's a huge time save for us, and the commission aren't bad either."

Service is available from Qwest, Sprint, Cable and Wireless, WorldCom and XO Communications. In addition, AB&T Telecom has partnerships with AT&T division ACC Business, Epoch Internet, Blue Ridge Virtual Private Networks, Zenetex and NAS. AB&T Telecom also introduces solution providers looking to partner for geographic reasons or to fill out service offerings.