ANTenna Blog -- Services

Staples isn't the only one out with new services aimed at helping SMBs thrive by minding their IT. A Salt Lake City-based startup named Sparxent is going after what it calls an "underserved" midmarket with software, hardware, and IT consulting services of its own.

"Sparxent was founded on the premise that the current value-added reseller (VAR) model for the middle market needs to evolve to better serve the segment," according to a statement from the company, which has acquired two regional resellers in its mission to bridge the VAR-midmarket gap.

Plenty of VARs serve the midmarket. The problem is, they represent one specific technology, Sparxent co-founder and chief marketing officer Dave Taylor told eChannelLine. "They're happy to sit down and talk to customers about how to implement that technology in their environment, but there's nobody who can take a broad-ranging overview and say, 'It's not actually a technology solution you need, it's just better processes and better training on how to actually implement the technology in your environment," he says. "And so we founded Sparxent really to become the IBM Global Services specifically for midmarket customers."

There are still plenty of "coming soon" notes on Sparxent's Web site, which speaks to reducing costs and improving efficiencies for its customers (no mention of names -- I guess another coming soon). And, to be sure, the midmarket is fully in IGS' line of sight.

But as CIO's James Gaskin puts it, "The trend of more companies offering more services to small and midsize companies makes me happy. And if your company needs some help, it should make you happy too."