ADVERTORIAL
Conjungo
We’re about to hit 300,000 buyers – why do we exist?
W
ith all the talk of web 2.0 web pages that are not directly voice across our Broadband
and cloud computing, the relevant. It’s a time consuming connection”
process for procuring or process. Buyers have to read
selling technology hasn’t changed through pages of information to
Helping the seller
for the majority of buyers and find out who and where local
“To unite” the buyer and seller,
sellers. For many small businesses suppliers are, whether they have
Conjungo also talked extensively
this equates to understanding relevant industry expertise and if
to both individual ICT resellers and
which technology can help they can provide support to your
large, multinational manufactures
their business and choosing the type or size of organisation. The
and suppliers.
right seller with the right skills to online accessibility of accurate
successfully implement it into their information about suppliers and
Technology providers spend
processes. their solutions is therefore vital to a
speedy buying process.
carefully considered sums of
For the sellers, getting their
money on marketing their solutions
products, services and solutions
to a diverse audience. Many
Removing the barrier to
onto the shortlist of prospective
use both above and below the
buyers is still a challenge. Even
purchase line marketing tools to get the
Dave Cruse,
with the growth of the web and
The other major criteria identified messages across, generate leads
Conjungo Founder and CEO
search engines, the problem
by users for a successful purchase at local or regional levels and
of information overload and
is basic understanding of the improve brand awareness.
Get ready, Get set,
the expense of search engine
technology under consideration.
Conjun-GO!
advertising make it difficult and
“Most small to medium sized
With traditional sales tactics such
expensive to stand out from the
business think of technology as a
as cold calling becoming less Since its launch in October
crowd.
tool, or a means to an end – the
effective and buyers being more 2008, Conjungo has grown
bits and bytes under the hood
selective about what companies
rapidly. Conjungo is used by
In 2005, a team with extensive
is not so important,” explains
they want to evaluate, marketing
thousands of technology buyers
knowledge of search engines,
Cruse. “Clear, non technical
and sales professionals have to
every month and offers a
business directories, marketing
and impartial information was
think about other ways of reaching
simple interface structure, clear
and the ICT channel formed a
a requirement that the users we
the same target group.
navigation, relevant search filters
and a searchable database
small start-up. Named Conjungo,
spoke to expressed to us time and
Latin for “to unite”, the goal was
time again.”
All online market research points
of individual suppliers and the
vendors’ global channel partners
to create a new type of tool
to the simple fact that buyers of all
with buyer-centric information in
to simplify the process for both
Not understanding technology
types go looking for their suppliers
a useable format.
buyer and sellers and to create a
was a massive barrier to purchase,
when they are considering a
framework for the next generation
so Conjungo built knowledge
purchase. Unless you can be
Over 450 new channel partners
of services: user defined services.
websites covering technologies
‘found’ at the point they look,
ranging from VoIP to Remote
have joined since launch and
you stand a very limited change
major vendors such as Cisco,
For the next three years, the team
Access to ERP software. Written
of even being considered for
Citrix and Websense have added
built a web framework to allow
in plain English with no technical
selection.
hundred of partners listing to the
complex searches of ICT channel
jargon these sites help buyers
Conjugo. New end user services
partners, secured agreements
understand what the technology
It is at the point of search that such as software test drives and
with 30 major technology vendors,
means so that they feel confident
suppliers need to be as visible as network monitoring have also
added listing for 15,000 UK ICT
about making the right buying
possible in the places where the
been added to the site which
suppliers, and created content
decision for their business. By
buyers go to find information to
is now one of the UK’s fastest
to help buyers understand key
integrating knowledge alongside
make sure they end up on the
growing web 2.0 site aimed at
technology and procurement best
search, buyers read and
appropriate evaluation lists.
small and medium business.
practice.
understand about the technology
on one side of the page; then can
then simply search for a relevant
Conjungo provides potential
“Our next step is to expand
Simplifying the buying
supplier on the same page.
customers with the fastest and
our library of “Go Understand”
websites to encompass more
process
most accurate method of
technology areas as well as
As Conjungo Founder and As Simon Bullen, Managing
identifying independent suppliers
to continue developing our
CEO Dave Cruse explains, “We Director for Optimum Workspace,
at a local level. The accreditation
extensive outreach programme
conducted in-depth interviews an office fitting & refurbishment
information within Conjungo has
to attract the right target
with end users from across company, explained, “We actually
been independently verified and
audience,” comments Cruse.
industries to find out exactly what used Conjungo recently when
unlike a traditional search engine,
“For example, we are working
type of criteria they wanted to see looking to purchase a new PBX
the information that is served is
with the IDG to put ‘Powered by
when searching for new suppliers for our business. Originally we
based on much more defined
Conjungo’ search on sites such
and the types of information they looked at a straight replacement
criteria including geographic as Techworld, Computerworld
needed to help them get to grip for our old system but the guide
location and industry expertise. and PC Advisor, as well as on
with technology.” on Unified Communications
trusted advisor sites such as
was a real eye opener and we
Listings are spun in random and
the Thames Valley Chamber of
Conjungo found that most people are currently reviewing a hybrid 100% relevant order to make it fair
Commerce.”
start their search online. They solution which will potentially allow for all suppliers. This creates a level
try a variety of trusted advisor us to substantially reduce our call playing field where the customer
Continue reading next month
type sites and internet search costs between our teleworking meets the supplier at the start of
about the most extensive online
engines that churn up millions of staff and the office by using a the process that brings in business.
outreach for the channel - Ever!
GET WISE GET NOTICED GET LEADS t: +44 (0) 1895 454402 e: sales@conjungo.com w: www.conjungo.com
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER FEBRUARY 2009 45
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