VoIP is growing in Europe, thanks to Epygi Technologies, who in the last 7 months teamed up with Sales Force Europe in an effort to expand on Epygis sales and marketing presence. According to a recent release, SFE has created immediate local presence for Epygi in every major European market including Spain, Italy, France, UK, Romania, Turkey, Denmark, and Germany. Since it is Epygis goal to establish a significant global presence as the IP PBX and VoIP gateway of choice for small and medium sized businesses, Epygi signed several distribution and reseller channels with the assistance of Sales Force Europe.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jeff Kirchner, CEO/President of Epygi Technologies, Brandon Weilbacher, Director of Product Management for the Quadro product suite, and Rick Pizzoli, Principal of Sales Force Europe (SFE) regarding this collaboration. Here is what the team had to say:

Can you elaborate a bit more on this venture with Sales Force Europe.... How does this program work?

Epygi Technologies works fluidly with Sales Force Europe to identify channels, market, and complete the sales process including engineering support and technical training for new European distributors and resellers. It works pretty much the same way that it would if Epygi had its own employees on the ground.

Rick Pizzoli, Principal of SFE comments, Sales Force Europe (SFE) is an Outsourced Technical Sales Team enabling US technology companies to rapidly and efficiently penetrate the European market place. We have senior sales resources in every European country available on a shared resource basis. The benefit to US companies is immediate market penetration without the delays, risks, costs and time required to build a direct sales force. For the price of one fulltime UK based employee, we can provide 4 in-country sales personnel. Epygi engaged our service in April of 2004 with one sales resource supporting France and the UK, we now have 9 resources selling for Epygi in every European market along with coverage in Africa

Daily communications flow between the US and Canadian team and the European team. Epygi also maintains technical/development offices in Karlsruhe, Germany. So the involvement with Sales Force Europe works departmentally. Sales Force Europe is Epygi's marketing and sales team on the ground in Europe. Different members of the team concentrate on and correspondingly live in various countries, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, UK and so on. Consequently, the synergies that occur in a global operation are in play. Marketing materials and messages are shaped country by country in response to local variation economically and in relation to country standards. Work is shifted back and forth across the Atlantic according to schedules and priorities. Each day gets two pushes to build momentum.

How can interested resellers benefit from this program?

The interest in Europe for our products is outstanding. Europe is booming in the VoIP expansion. There are many pricing motivations and market motivations to a telephone industry that continues undergoing change. Also, European companies are well versed in global business with manufacturing and distribution often in overseas markets. Resellers in Europe have different focuses just as in the United States. Some are pursuing platform solutions, others are pursuing service solutions and there are many variations of the two.

Resellers have Epygi representatives on the ground, understanding and responding quickly to their issues. They enjoy quick responses to their needs. Rick Pizzoli adds, SFE offers regional Epygi experts who can work closely with the Resellers (in their local language) and with their end customers. This is critical to success for a new market opportunity such as VoIP. We also call directly on regional VoIP Service Providers and then introduce the opportunities to our Resellers. This approach provides the Cisco Direct Touch level of service not previously available to small companies. Epygis relationship with SFE simply offers quality service quickly and responsively.

What is Epygi offering in this reseller program that is different from the competition?

Epygi Technologies manufactures products that interoperate with a large number of other vendors and service companies. Internet Telephony Service Providers and Epygi combine their strengths in a service/product offering that empowers small businesses with a worldwide network. Through creative bundling of DID numbers (dedicated inward dial) your ITSP allows you to purchase a monthly service bundle combining minutes with a virtual local phone presence. Epygi products work with a number of ITSP companies. In January 2005, Vonage and Epygi announced certificaqtion of Epygi's products on the Vonage network, the first telephone provider to activate over 500,000 lines.

Brandon Weilbacher, Epygis Director of Product Management for the Quadro product suite expands, An IP PBX is enhanced by registering the system with service from an ITSP (Internet Telephony Service Provider). This extends the user's cost savings to calls made to anyone in the world. Epygi has focused on ensuring compatibility with a large number of ITSPs. Epygi's resellers benefit not only from the generous channel discounts offered on the products, but also from the ongoing annuity revenue stream that can be realized by selling compatible ITSP services.

According to the recent press release, these distribution channels will provide resellers and customers with an exciting new, cost effective alternative in IP PBX and VoIP technology. How is Epygi offering the "alternative"?

Epygi's products are an alternative to traditional PBX systems in that we are focused on the small business market. In small offices, the Epygi Quadro product line is very cost effective. Brandon Weilbacher, adds, The traditional PBX systems which were designed for larger businesses can not scale down market nearly as cost effectively as the Epygi alternative. In addition, Epygi has built the latest technology innovations into our product line including support of SIP protocol, support of IP and analog phones, unified messaging, and features designed specifically with the small business in mind.

Epygi Technologies designs and manufactures feature rich all-in-one IP PBXs, Voice over IP gateways, and cost-saving Conference Servers. Epygis Quadro product line offers intelligent devices with capabilities that enable small and medium size businesses, branch offices, and teleworkers to deliver all of their VoIP services efficiently and cost effectively.

Is the Epygi Quadro solution easy to migrate to? How long does it take?

The Quadro is very sophisticated and comprehensive yet all of this complexity is easy to maintain and direct with the streamlined GUI interface. You can configure the All In One Box solution as a data router, an IP PBX that interoperates with both analog and IP phones and trunks or as an IP gateway. When environments change, you simple reprogram the box through the GUI. There is no obsolescence even though your requirements change. It is a perfect choice for a company in transition.

Brandon Weilbacher, Director of Product Management comments, Installation takes minutes as opposed to the hours or days required with other PBX systems. Considering most small businesses do not have the luxury of an in-house IT manager, the Quadro had to be simple. It utilizes simple GUIs and wizards to ensure a quick and easy migration.

Does this solution require training? How do you run customer support for resellers/customers?

Brandon Weilbacher points out that, Training is available for our resellers and distributors, but most technology savvy users are able to install, maintain, and operate the system using the online help screens and the instruction manual. First line support and initial customer contact is handled by the reseller channel. Support is a high priority and differentiator for Epygi. Considering the SIP protocol is fairly new in its deployment, occasionally vendors have slightly different implementations. With a development team of over 150 engineers, Epygi has created software patches as fast as the next day to ensure compatibility with other VoIP systems.

Does it integrate easily with legacy equipment, even if that legacy equipment/system is very old?

Epygi developed a product specifically for integrating with legacy PBX systems. The E1/T1 gateway can very cost effectively bring a legacy PBX in the the world of VoIP. Since it is an external system, it is even compatible with very old PBXs, without forcing an update to the PBX. Epygi has focused on supporting many legacy protocols around the world including INS 1500, R2, PRI, CAS, and more.

The release states, For SMBs Epygi's Quadro product line is not only easy to configure, but it's an intelligent device that enables them to deliver all of their VoIP services safely. How does it allow customers to deliver VoIP safely?

Epygi Technologies designs and manufactures feature rich all-in-one IP PBXs, Voice over IP gateways, and cost-saving Conference Servers. Epygis Quadro product line offers intelligent devices with capabilities that enable small and medium size businesses, branch offices, and teleworkers to deliver all of their VoIP services efficiently and cost effectively.

Brandon Weilbacher elaborates, The Quadro is more than just a phone system. It combines all the required communications functions of a small business into a single box no larger than a ream of paper. The Quadro has a business class IP router, an IPSec VPN system, a fully feature PBX, and a VoIP gateway. Using the VPN and routing capabilities of the Quadro, Epygi can optimize the QoS and create VPN tunnels for secure calls.

Quadro systems allow traditional carriers and new voice service entrants to build large distributed VoIP networks without adherence to traditional central office equipment investment and architecture.

What do you see as the latest developments in SIP/VoIP and how is your product speaking to those developments? How has this reseller program helped?

Resellers are our partners that help us understand the latest requirements for VoIP from the marketplace. We work closely with our channels to ensure we are developing the right products to meet the needs of our end customers.

VoIP is becoming a vibrant market for the commercial sector and international trade. It is a market which is moving up from low end solutions and penetrating smaller businesses that still need sophistication while not having the resources to assemble a task force to address communications requirements. Jeff Kirchner, CEO/President of Epygi Technologies summarizes, We see an opportunity to focus on these businesses and vertical markets as they adopt the huge savings potential of using their IP network for voice in addition to data.

Jeff continues, As the market matures our job is to deliver the right products into our channels. The flexibility of our products in unifying the world of analog with the world of IP and migrating from legacy solutions to new architectures with feature rich technology gives Epygi a strong voice. We are making high performance, high quality, low cost products that people want.

Stay tuned for Part II featuring more commentary from Rick Pizzoli of Sales Force Europe.