PGi, a virtual meeting software provider, announced today an expansion of its 5 year partnership with Intelisys, a distributor of business communications services. The expanded partnership will have Intelisys selling PGi’s virtual meetings solutions, iMeet and GlobalMeet, over its network of 350 master agents.

iMeet and GlobalMeet are PGi’s web conferencing and online meeting solutions. iMeet uses a video conferencing platform that is available through a browser for simple meeting needs. GlobalMeet is more powerful with robust features like an automatic dialer that calls participants in meetings automatically.

Deepening Relationships

Ralph Hawkings, the senior vice president of PGi Partner channel, commented on the benefits of the expanded relationship between the two companies:

“Intelisys has been a valued partner to PGi for several years, and it is one of the most respected brands in the channel. Identifying the next generation of collaboration technologies propelled Intelisys to deepen our existing relationship and bring iMeet and GlobalMeet to their base of Sales Partners.”

Dana Topping, the co-owner of Intelisys, explained the reasoning behind the partnership’s expanded role:

“Using group video technologies like iMeet to host our team meetings strengthens connections and improves business productivity, which is why we want to offer iMeet to our agent base. We also believe that with its market-leading pricing, GlobalMeet is an ideal solution for small businesses looking for a powerful, yet affordable audio and web meeting product.”

The partnership should lead to greater growth of PGi’s global business. Hawkings is part of PGi’s Partner team focusing on building partnerships with resellers. He’s smart to value Intelisys’ partnership. I expect the 350 agents in Intelisys’ network will contribute nicely to to profit margins for PGi. Intelisys has a bit of a niche with its network of sales agents. The company focuses on supporting the top producing agent’s success, focusing on the most effective subset of agents.

The iMeet and GlobalMeet offerings will mesh nicely with Intelisys’ existing portfolio of voice service, data service, wireless/wired access, mobility solutions, video conferencing services, professional services, and telecom asset management. Their existing customer base should be interested in a highly relevant solution like PGi’s browser based conferencing services. The lack of need for infrastructure upgrades or additional technology purchases will also contribute to the attractiveness of the solutions. Low switching costs and a browser delivery model will make it easy for Intelisys to sell the PGi offerings to its customer base.

What do you think about the PGi and Intelisys partnership expansion? Will it lead to stronger success for both companies? How will the Intelisys agent base react to the iMeet and GlobalMeet products? Share your thoughts in the comments below.