Company plans to add BattleLabs into Dallas, Atlanta and the northeast, while establishing Canadian and UK initiatives 

Chicago, Illinois—January 26, 2018  AVANT Communications, the leader in channel-sales enablement for next-generation IT solutions, today announced it is now supporting channel sales in Canada and expanding business in the UK with over $6M (USD) worth of sales in 2017. AVANT also intends to build a multi-location, nationwide network of regional BattleLabs, its state-of-the-art training and channel sales enablement centers for use by its ecosystem of partners.

“AVANT’s expansion into Canada and continued growth in the UK reflects a tipping point in channel sales momentum in these countries.  We are seeing more demand for trusted advisors to assist customers in light of the accelerating pace of change and shortage of IT talent,” said Jennifer Gallego, executive vice president, Channel Sales, West and International Channel, AVANT. “This global expansion demonstrates how AVANT’s channel sales enablement methodology and programs have no borders or boundaries.”

The newly launched AVANT channel program for Canada features the signing of 12 new Canadian technology partners for 2018. Avant is currently supporting the Canadian initiative remotely out of its Chicago headquarters with plans to expand locally in the future. AVANT will continue to leverage its relationship with CDW to provide IT Services distribution in both UK and Canada. The UK office is located in the heart of London’s financial district.

AVANT BattleLabs have been a key investment in AVANT’s Channel Sales Enablement capabilities. Based on high success rate and partner demand, cities for regional BattleLab hubs are planned for Dallas and Atlanta as well as a future location in the northeast.

“What we’ve learned since launching the original BattleLab is that it has become one of the best sales tools agents have at their disposal to close business with clients,” said Shane McNamara, executive vice president, Channel Sales, West, AVANT. “We want to enable our agents to win even more business locally by providing a network of regional BattleLab locations close to where they do business.”

The first BattleLab opened in Chicago in 2016, at the company global headquarters. The BattleLab was created as a state-of-the-art training center for channel sales-enablement, a lab to demonstrate UCaaS solutions side by side and an executive briefing center for use by its channel community with customers.

The BattleLab has been used successfully in:

  • Closing sales opportunities with partners’ customers
  • Live demonstrations with partners and their customers in the UCaaS/CCaaS demo lab
  • Over 100 training events
  • New agent sales onboarding sessions
  • Partner pitch practice sessions
  • Monthly BattleBriefing broadcasts
  • AVANT Special Forces training
  • AVANT Advisory Board meetings

The company envisions the BattleLab as a world-class training facility that will accelerate enablement of channel sales. Every aspect of the design of the BattleLab will be built with sales enablement in mind.

To learn more about the AVANT BattleLab environment, visit AVANT’s 360 BattleLab video tour.

Partner Quotes:

“Over the last few years, the landscape of our industry has dramatically been evolving and the reality is that if we aren’t ahead of where it is going, we aren’t being a true partner to our customers. By bringing my customer to the AVANT BattleLab in Chicago, we were able to sit down with the AVANT engineers, analyze the customers’ requirements and in that one meeting, discover the right solution and close the deal.”
Krista Saumsiegle, Managing Partner, 212 Communications

“AVANT’s BattleLab and other sales enablement tools have allowed CDW to launch and grow new initiatives in both the UK and Canada. We see only continued success throughout 2018 and beyond. The ever-increasing complexity surrounding technology service providers in both the UK, Canada and generally on a global scale, means the tools that AVANT provides enables CDW to assist our customers in choosing the correct solutions and services to match their requirements.”
Joel Berwitz, Head of Cloud Services Sales, CDW

“Anytime we can bring prospects into a cool environment like the BattleLab in Chicago gives AVANT an edge with agents, specifically us. Allowing clients to come into a neutral environment, but still meet with the manufacturers and vendors to show them what we can bring them, tailored to their needs by demoing the best-of-breed, is a real plus. Bottom line, I think it is a good move strategically.”
Robert Short, Vice President, Liquid Networx

“We consider AVANT’s original BattleLab in Chicago as a key reason why we chose them as a Master Agent. The addition of a BattleLab in Dallas will allow us to differentiate ourselves with a state-of-the- art technology demo and briefing center in the heart of Dallas.”
Robert DeVita, Managing Director, Mejeticks

“AVANT’s state-of-the-art BattleLab is the ideal environment for our team to host executive briefings for our clients and prospects to discuss the disruptive technologies they need to stay ahead.”
Courtney Humphrey, Chief Executive Officer, Opex Technologies

“We pride ourselves on providing our clients with an unprecedented level of service and excellence. The BattleLab fits that mold perfectly. There is no other place I know that has the ability to demo such a broad range of UCaaS solutions side-by-side and do it in such an impressive, high-tech environment.”
Dave Stolarek, Senior Partner, Porcaro Stolarek Mete Partners, LLC

About AVANT
AVANT is a channel sales enablement company and the nation’s premiere distributor for next generation technologies. AVANT adds unique value with its focus and expertise in channel sales assistance, sales training, sales guidance, and sales tools to fuel IT services business growth. From complex cloud designs to global wide-area network deployments, AVANT sets the industry standard in enabling its partners and clients to make more intelligent decisions about services, technology and cost-effective communications. For more information, visit http://goavant.net/company .  Follow us on Linkedin and Twitter