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Novell Paves Easy Path for Channel Partners to Enter Growing Small Business Market Novell Kicks Off Small Business Specialist Program with 45-City Seminar Tour PROVO, Utah -- May 12, 1998 -- Novell, Inc. today reinforced its commitment to providing resellers with new business opportunities, kicking off a 45-city seminar tour to educate resellers on how to grow their businesses and service small companies. A new program under Novell's PartnerNet98, the seminar tour is designed to equip resellers with expertise related to NetWare® for Small Business 4.11, Novell's easy-to-use network server platform that includes all of the software needed to run and intelligently grow a network in a single software package. Resellers who attend a local seminar will earn the Small Business Specialist designation, enabling them to bolster profitability by providing product, services and support to a rapidly growing segment of small businesses. The Small Business Specialist Program empowers resellers with the expertise needed to provide value- added customer support, in terms of IT resources and ongoing network management. As most small business customers do not budget for full-time administrators, resellers play a critical role in defining and maintaining small business technology. "Novell Small Business Specialist is a unique, market-focused recognition for channel sales and services professionals dedicated to servicing the small business marketplace," said Bill Wall, manager of channel sales, development and programs. "As these companies are expected to spend nearly $35 billion on technology in 1998, the small business marketplace is a great new business opportunity for our resellers. Novell recently delivered a compelling, small business-specific networking solution in NetWare for Small Business 4.11 and we believe our channel partners will reap great benefits by placing these clients among their most valued customers."
Resellers Gain Competitive Edge Tour participants will gain a competitive advantage, receiving for free, all sales and marketing tools necessary for them to be successful in the small business market. Resources provided will include small business live leads, joint marketing activities, joint end-user demand creation activities and a one-stop shop for selling to small business. Because Novell views its partners as an extension of its sales force, the program will actually be run by resellers, who will serve one-year terms on the Small Business Counsel. Counsel members will be able to adjust the program to meet the special needs of small business specialists in their area. During the seminar, Novell will be accompanied by select hardware vendors, including Hewlett-Packard and Fountain Technologies, who will discuss their small business initiatives, programs and products.
Novell Delivers Powerful Small Business Solution The three-hour seminars will introduce NetWare for Small Business 4.11, a solution Novell customized for companies with 25 network users or less. NetWare for Small Business 4.11 is more affordable to own, easier to manage and easier to use than any other network server platform. The new product extends Novell's strategy to deliver the industry's premiere intelligent network server platform to smaller businesses, enabling customers to take advantage of networking software from Novell and third parties to efficiently manage their networks. New integrated components include Novell's GroupWise™ 5.2 E-mail and collaboration solution, Netscape's FastTrack Web Server, Computer Associates' fax, back-up and anti-virus solutions, and the Oracle8 data server. During the seminar, Novell will educate channel partners on key product benefits, the installation process and an appropriate sales pitch. "This announcement is significant because it reinforces Novell's commitment to help resellers grow their businesses," said Ray Cronan, director of marketing for Advanced Computer Services, a Houston-based network integrator. "Our company has a significant presence in the small business marketplace and we see this as a tremendous opportunity to expand that segment. Novell has delivered a very solid solution for small businesses that also tightly integrates with the resellers and consultants. This presents numerous opportunities for companies to add value and to follow Novell's lead."
Additional Information The tour seminars and the Small Business Specialist Program are open to both authorized and non- authorized resellers. Channel partners unable to attend a seminar in their area can obtain the small business sales tool kit for $99. Anyone with questions about the small business seminar tour curriculum, schedule or Novell's PartnerNet98 program should call (800) 828-3362 or visit Novell's Web site at http://www.novell.com/partner.
About Novell Founded in 1983, Novell (NASDAQ:NOVL) is the world's leading provider of network software. The company offers a wide range of network solutions for distributed network, Internet, intranet and small- business markets. Novell education and technical support programs are the most comprehensive in the network computing industry. Information about Novell's complete range of products and services can be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.novell.com. Novell and NetWare are registered trademarks, and GroupWise is a trademark of Novell, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holder.
Press Contacts:
Nan Stillinger |
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