INDUSTRY NEWS EDITOR’S COMMENT: Stuart Gilroy
WE ENTER a time where tradition comes to the fore and we look back with the benefit of hindsight to assess where we went wrong, where we got it right, how we can do things better and whether we can forecast accurately the future trends based on past experiences. Hindsight is indeed a wonderful thing. Foresight on the other hand is an
uncertain science based on best guesses, but we are lucky in our industry because the signposts are here. Nobody knows with absolute certainty what the dominant future technologies will be but the biggest driver, perhaps, is the consumer. We’ve all heard the phrase ‘consumerisation of IT’. This is an unstoppable process – not an experiment where the outcome is unknown. The process has a logical known outcome and raises a huge question for the channel around disintermediation and the need to add value. This is not a time to bury heads. Toppling PC sales, stratospheric smartphone and tablet shipments, improving connectivity, the emergence of Generation Y in the work environment, the growth of social networks in the enterprise, the rise of data centres and the collapse of traditional working patterns enabled by true collaboration, are all sure bets. The future shape of the comms landscape is already forming under our noses so it is time to smell the coffee. This year’s Comms Vision Convention (9-11th November, Gleneagles) focused on ‘Business Transformation Taking Shape’, and explored the implications of all the evolving trends and technologies impacting on the channel. We can say with certainty that 2012 will bring a much clearer picture of the future, enabling resellers to bet their farms on key partners and technologies that align with their strategies and growth aspirations. Comms Vision 2011 Special Report – page 20
Stuart Gilroy, Editor
Adept gains high results
Ian Fishwick
IAN Fishwick, CEO of Adept Telecom, is beating the drum about the firm’s position and prospects following a strong set of half year results. He said: “We used to be referred to as the company that borrowed a lot of money, I now call us the company that paid £6m back in three years. “Our debt is now reduced to the point where it is no longer an issue, and to demonstrate our confidence Adept Telecom will commence paying dividends to its shareholders.”
The half year results mark
Adept’s ninth consecutive year of rising first half EBITDA. “We are steaming ahead with our transition to new generation products which now represent
over 16% (£3m-plus sales pa) of our revenues,” added Fishwick. “We have seen key wins with our cloud-based products. Monarch Airlines and Cosmos Holidays have adopted our cloud-based contact centre technology, and Rexel’s use of cloud-based telephony for up to 400 sites is one of the largest VoIP contracts placed in the UK to date.”
Adept now has 10 skilled people working on new prod- uct areas and has opened its National VoIP Demonstration Centre in Tunbridge Wells with the help of BT Wholesale. “We are now working to develop the most integrated VoIP billing system in the UK,” claimed Fishwick.
SHORT CALLS
Staff at Easy Group had a hairy time in November by sporting moustaches to help raise awareness and vital funds for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men. “One man in this country dies of prostate cancer every hour of every day. That’s more than 10,000 every year, ” said MD Simon Mewett.
Gavin Darby has succeeded John Pluthero as Chief Executive Officer of Cable&Wireless Worldwide. John Barton, Chairman, said: “Gavin will provide the longevity of leadership, energy and fresh insight needed by Cable&Wireless Worldwide. We are delighted to have secured such a high quality candidate to lead the business.”
AVG is providing reseller partners with a toolkit to help them grasp the business mobile security opportunity. Chris McManus, UK and Ireland VP of Sales, said: “There is an inexorable drift towards the use of mobile platforms in business. This programme is a great way for partners to help customers understand the benefits of mobile business protection.”
www.comms-dealer.com
COMMS DEALER DECEMBER 2011 3
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