Seven Keys to the MPLS Kingdom

The rise of cloud computing and virtualization is just one reason MPLS-enabled solutions are beginning to stir up more buzz. Geoffrey McCarroll, director of operations for master agent Global Systems Telecom (GST), said MPLS is hot right now because customers are gaining a better understanding of technology. “Today, most companies are looking for ways to cut costs but do not want to fall behind in technology,” he said. “MPLS allows indirect channel partners to offer a fresh schematic to the customer while providing the same voice, data and Internet solutions. The partner can now show the customer that they can connect multiple locations together without using the old hub-and-spoke method, and most of all, the partner can bring the customer into the world of [class of service/quality of service].”

Saving money, upgrading technology and increasing efficiency are all things customers are interested in; therefore, agents should be mindful of how MPLS might be a fit. Here are seven keys to the MPLS kingdom.

Key 1: The Perfect Customer. S.L. Sweet, director of product management at MegaPath, described the perfect opportunity for an MPLS sale as “a customer with multiple geographically dispersed locations that require private networking between all sites, require secure Internet access for all locations and require prioritization of mission-critical applications, such as voice, video and credit card transactions.”

Midsized, multilocation enterprises are ideal targets for MPLS sales, especially those transitioning to VoIP. Ken Mercer, senior vice president of Telecom Brokerage Inc. (TBI), said agents should keep an eye out for frame relay or private line customers coming off of contracts as prime opportunities for network upgrades. Furthermore, Mercer suggested offering MPLS any time SIP, VoIP or video are mentioned since they are latency-sensitive applications that would require the QoS MPLS offers.

Key 2: Knowledge Is Power. Whether a certain technology is new to everyone or just new to them, some agents are intimidated by the idea of selling something they don’t fully understand. Leveraging carrier knowledge and assistance is an agent’s right as a channel partner, but learning more about opportunities presented by MPLS-based solutions can greatly increase sales success.