OPINION
Can you build a brand in a declining market?
AOC regional sales director Paul Butler argues big tech brands are facing a decline because sales teams are focusing most of their efforts on smaller, more adaptable brands...
SO MANY times I visit customers at vendor desks or sales floors and look around – not just at the people I am visiting, but also my fellow vendors and competitors, to see who is doing it right. I have been working in the IT business for close to 30 years, but what never ceases to amaze me is the difference in approach taken by those companies working to develop and strengthen their brand and those who just plug in a number and hope for the best. The display market has shown
decline, even stagnation, for several years, and innovation has been reduced to a bare minimum. In such an environment, the anti-cyclic behaviour of investing in the innovation of a still huge market can make a difference. It helps to build
and retailers who are going to sell our product. It is an absolute necessity to not only understand the nature of the business of our customers, but how we can help when times are hard and when business is good. Creating the right framework for
brand development through building relationships is an important step to sustainable growth, which is often missed in search of ‘hitting the numbers’. I see many major players
“You’ve got to get out and make it happen, and not reply on the brand you work for to take care of everything and hand it to you on
the brand and change the perception of stakeholders and users alike – but to further grow our business, we have to of course take share from others. This is not a very easy task, but what is paramount is the importance of forging and maintaining strong relationships with distributors, and more importantly, with those resellers
a plate.” Paul Butler, AOC
hacking in some figures, coming up with a price and crossing their fingers. So many big brands are in decline, not because their products are in any way inferior, but because the biggest efforts of the sales teams are for smaller, more adaptable brands. Every single member of our team knows that strong customer relationships are
the key factor in our success. A simple introduction is the
very first step to successful relationship building. In today’s market you need to
work for this business – you’ve got to get out and make it happen, and not rely on the brand you work for to take care of everything and hand it to you on a plate.
Paul Butler, regional sales director, AOC International Europe BV and MMD Monitors and Displays NL BV.
www.aoc.com
Why tablets will not replace PCs
The decline in the PC market is just a temporary one, and gaming will help push the platform further in 2014, says VIP Computers director Duncan McAuley...
DESPITE DATA from GfK showing a 7.2 per cent drop in sales volume across the UK desktop market from Q1 to Q3 2013, I remain optimistic that we will start to see signs of stability in 2014. Let’s not forget, the market for desktop PCs is still huge and provides plenty of opportunities. I see the decline in the PC
market as a temporary one, particularly whilst tablets remain fashionable. By their very nature, tablets are
limited in terms of capability and I predict users will return to investing in desktops as the realisation hits that the tablet cannot replace the desktop PC as the main computing hub. There is also
the argument that the erosion we have seen in the desktop PC market is coming predominantly from the MNC level, not at local market level which is still strong. Assuming pricing is competitive, the added-value that the local market offers in terms of knowledge, experience and customer support is still second- to-none, with many people having a strong affinity to their local system builder. Following the launch of two new games consoles, there will be strong competition for the PC
gaming market this year but the fierce support and unwavering commitment from PC gamers will remain resolute. VIP sees the PC gaming market as a continuing focus in 2014. It is a market we believe will continue to grow stronger as a platform for gaming, especially with the constant stream of new component releases and advances in technology. Our major partner, ASUS, is
“The fierce support and unwavering commitment from PC gamers will
remain resolute.” Duncan McAuley, VIP Computers
looking to make a significant impact in the desktop market this year with the launch of a new commercial desktop range. I see it as a real statement of intent and indication of confidence in the market when major vendors announce such plans because of the significant levels of
investment required. New opportunities will arise
when Windows XP reaches end of life on April 8th. This should instigate hardware and software upgrades, particularly from the commercial PC sector as businesses look to replace ageing computer systems. Finally, one exciting new trend
to look for in 2014 will come from the wearable technology sector which looks set to make a very big impression.
Duncan McAuley is director of UK distributor VIP Computers.
www.vip-computers.com
www.pcr-online.biz
PCR January 2014 | 17
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