OnForce Crosses the Big Pond
The ocean called. They’re running out of shrimp. The VAR Guy consumed a few pounds of shrimp cocktail at OnForce last night during an open house to celebrate the company’s new headquarters. He stopped chewing long enough to hear a few good rumors — including one involving OnForce launching its online marketplace for VARs in Germany and the U.K.
OnForce is an eBay of sorts for the IT channel, connecting resellers with specific customer IT projects. The marketplace already operates in the U.S. and Canada. Now, OnForce is accepting user registrations in Germany and the U.K. as well.
U.K. customers and VARs can now register for more information at www.onforce.co.uk. Stay tuned for similar info regarding Germany (Update: See www.onforce.de). Early registrants will receive advanced notification, periodic updates about the company’s expansion plans, and be first in line when the marketplaces are launched in 2008, according to our dumpster diving blogger.
In the meantime, OnForce employees are settling into new office space near Boston. Relocating out of Manhattan has allowed the company to find more cost-effective office space while recruiting Web 2.0 talent out of New England’s universities.
OnForce CEO Peter Cannone and several other company executives are New Englanders at heart. In fact, Cannone’s office has plenty of Red Sox and Patriot memorabilia. Hmmm. No pictures of Bill Buckner booting Mookie Wilson’s slow roller to first base…No worries. For good luck, The VAR Guy always carries the following picture in his wallet while traveling in Red Sox Nation.
Hey Var Guy
Keep some of those shrimp aside for me ’cause it seems I’m gonna need it. Our customers recently found OnForce and for $75 they now expect me to spend a boat load on training, drive 150 miles at my expense to replace the optical back-plane drive on their HP SAN, cook breakfast for the CEO and then forget they existed.
O I kid OnForce! But really would someone respond back to me and convince me that this is good for business so I can shut myself up already!
Johnny,
The VAR Guy thinks OnForce is a rather interesting play for solutions providers. Especially VARs that have idle staff members who can make a few extra bucks through local engagements. Let us know how the system works for you.
sounds interesting for us guys in the uk. but has been anounced a while ago and still no launch, maybe credit crunch postponed, anyway would be better than those useless orderwork guys.
Tabs: Thanks for checking in. Sources Tell The VAR Guy that OnForce is weighing the following options…
A) expanding the IT services marketplace into Europe
B) building a new type of marketplace — for a different vertical or services market — in the US
Either way, the company has enjoyed strong growth in 2008, according to sources in the know. The VAR Guy will check in with OnForce to see what’s in store for 2009.