AIT Trains Its Next Group of Dealership Operators

August 11, 2006; 05:08 AM

They came from suburban Washington, D.C., the outskirts of New York, and as far away as Puerto Rico, gathering in Fayetteville, North Carolina to become part of the AIT Dealer Program. AIT has opened offices in a half-dozen metropolitan areas, converting members of its 8,000-strong reseller program into dealers with physical storefronts that carry the AIT brand. “This is the logical evolution for our resellers,” said AIT’s Chief Executive Officer Clarence Briggs. “The challenge is to get them to think beyond web design or hosting, to look at the larger picture of technological possibilities.”      

The dealerships combine the resources of a global company with the local touch of individual operators. The program has already notched several successes, including a seven-figure deal in Pittsburgh a few months ago. With Atlanta on the verge of wrapping up an even larger contract, Briggs believes such agreements should become routine as the program matures. That potential is what drew Ferrer in from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. “Just being able to present myself as being part of a global company is instant credibility in pursuing larger clients or bidding on government contracts,” said Ferrer. “It totally changes the dynamic between me and the prospect or client.”       

The dealership model also uses technology as the lever for economic development projects. “Every dealership community has areas it wants to redevelop,” said Briggs. “The dealership is a mechanism for developing properties, providing quality IT training, deploying locally-owned wireless networks, all of which lead to additional opportunity.”