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"Setting up a Dealer channel, whereby the proverbial ”middle man” attempts to purchase from Infotech and on-sell the solution, has been attempted in the past, but has failed. We have come to the conclusion that a significant gap exists between the complexity of supporting the technology and the skill levels of a non-technical Product Dealer. Infotech will therefore not set up a Dealer Network for our products.
The possibility to involve armslength Sales Agents in attracting new business to Infotech will be considered, i.e. should a person have a deep enough understanding of our target clients’ needs and our Solution-building capability, such a person might introduce a client and earn a commission or finders fee. However, the nature of the introduction must be such that the Agent retains no operational responsibility at the first implementation – Infotech must enter into a direct Service Level Agreement with the end user of the Solution. Furthermore, the exact nature of the Solution is often difficult to determine off-hand and to place a financial estimate on the Solution at an early stage is difficult. The ability to contract with an Agent is thus impeded. In short, any third party wishing to be involved in Infotech’s selling process would have to serve as an Agent, not a Dealer, and the fee is to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The end result must always be that Infotech retains the direct relationship with the end user client.
A further situation that often arises in the Solution environment is the following: a third party that also has a technical development capability requires an Infotech Solution to be ”integrated” into another Solution for presentation to a client. In these cases specific care should be taken by the parties, potentially being competitors, in working together while still protecting their respective Intellectual Assets. Infotech prefers to avoid these types of collaboration and would approach such opportunities with circumspection. In circumstances where the components of the greater Solution are totally standalone, and Infotech retains the right to directly manage the relationship with the end client with respect to our own Solution, the principle of working in collaboration with any partner is embraced."