The post NewStar – the best deal on AV and IT mounts appeared first on Axente.
]]>And that one mount company is like another.
But they’re not.
NewStar is different.
Here’s why.
NewStar mounts are considerably less expensive than their competitors. They achieve this by keeping overheads low and their profits modest. So you can get the same high-quality, long-lasting products offered by competitors, but for a fraction of the cost.
NewStar products are available from four major distributors. Between them, there is typically £200k of stock available at any time. This makes NewStar mounts easy to order and fast to despatch.
You can order NewStar products from:
While other mount suppliers like to have their cake and eat it, and sell direct as well as via distributors, NewStar is loyal to the IT channel – and does not accept direct orders.
With 350+ IT and AV mounts NewStar has the depth of products to fulfil any order requirements.
The NewStar range includes:
Want to learn more about how NewStar can meet your AV and IT mount requirements?
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]]>The post Axente celebrates 5 years of sales success appeared first on Axente.
]]>We’re delighted to report that after five years of trading, we see a growing demand for a business like ours, one that helps companies navigate the choppy waters of the IT channel.
Our expertise in this field is a valuable asset, and our close partnerships with our vendors and leading distributors means that we can bridge the gap between the two. Our vendors get their products into major distributors. And our distributors get the products they want, with all of the information and support they need to make their jobs easier.
The core of our business has been the same since day one: we help IT companies get their products into the IT channel and steadily build their sales. One recent change was the addition of R-Go Tools as one of our selected vendors. We’re currently in talks with another company about acting as their independent sales agent. All being well, we look forward to announcing this in the coming weeks.
Beyond that, we’ll be doing more of the same: maintaining close links with our distributors, staying close to our vendors, and doing our best to make sure that both parties get a great deal.
Here’s to another five years!
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]]>The post Changes at Axente appeared first on Axente.
]]>We were invited to take on this full-time role, we are committed to building Axente Ltd as an independent sales agent, and also serving our long-standing and new vendors. While we’re disappointed to lose their account, we appreciate that vendors must choose the approach that makes sense for them. For some, this means using an independent sales agent who can efficiently access a market; but for others it makes sense to increase head-count.
We can also feel proud of the gains we made for our client during our years-long relationship. Our careful management of their account produced exponential growth and helped them reach new audiences. Dicota is a highly respected manufacturer of high-quality products, and we’re proud to have represented them for so long.
Our attention now turns to our existing vendor, NewStar, and our newest partner, R-Go Tools. The futyr
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]]>The post Introducing our newest vendor: R-Go Tools appeared first on Axente.
]]>R-Go Tools designs and manufactures original products to help create ergonomic workplaces.
Given the amount of time that people spend working at desks, it’s not surprising that companies are constantly looking for ways to make office work healthy and sustainable. Providing the right tools so that employees can avoid repetitive strain injuries (RSI) is a small investment when compared to the cost of sickness absences. By investing a few hundred pounds in ergonomic mice and keyboards, employers can potentially save hundreds of thousands in lost productivity.
R-Go Tools was founded by an ergonomic consultant (R-Go Solutions) who grew frustrated by the performance of the available ergonomic products, which failed truly offer ergonomic design.
So, R-Go went back to the drawing board and designed products from scratch. These new designs were focused solely on creating a safe, healthy and flexible workspace that is fit for the 21st century. Instead of simply looking different, R-Go set about designing a range of products that work differently too. Unsurprisingly, their range of products has been immensely successful across Europe, and now we’re excited to launch them in the UK.
R-Go Tools offer a range of ergonomic mice in sizes and configurations to suit all hands (from small to large and left to right) as well as wireless options for anyone who likes a clutter-free desk. Their split keyboards are designed to alleviate the stress on wrists and arms that comes from holding your hands in an unnatural position for hours each day.
If you want to help your customers work safely and avoid preventable health complaints, we recommend you check out the R-Go Tools range.
You can now order R-Go Tools from Ingram Micro.
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]]>The post Which changes might affect the IT channel in 2018? appeared first on Axente.
]]>What are the new products, technologies or trends that might shape the year ahead? Of course, it’s impossible to be sure, but we think there are a few key events that might shape the next twelve months in the IT channel.
In no particular order…
Blockchain – no longer just the technology that runs cryptocurrencies, many organisations and startups are finding interesting ways to use blockchain to improve security and prevent fraud. Blockchain may start appearing in the software that organisations use for accounting, HR management, ERP and more.
Oculus Go – the popular virtual reality (VR) company is due to release a new product that will give people a quick-and-easy way to enjoy the sensory delights of VR. While current VR products rely on the user’s existing smartphone or high-powered PC, the Oculus Go is a standalone product, so people can simply buy one device, switch it on, and immerse themselves in new worlds. This could be the product that finally brings VR to the masses.
Robotics – we could start to see more widespread adoption of robotic assistants in workplaces. Robots could soon be helping greet guests, take orders, load trucks, improve security, make deliveries and more.
MiFID ii – the next wave of this legislation forces some firms to keep records of telephone calls. Companies that are subject to MiFID will now need to record telephone calls, and keep these records for 5 years. While many firms will have made provisions for this new requirement, there may be some firms that still need to invest in the technology and services to manage this requirement.
GDPR – the new General Data Protection Regulations come into force in May. Companies will then have more obligations regarding how they manage, store and report on the data they hold. Organisations that have not made adequate preparations may still need to upgrade their security systems – and hardware – to ensure they are doing everything possible to keep data safe.
AI – while artificial intelligence (AI) has been popping up in a wide variety of places already, 2018 could be the year that we see AI taking root in a range of business services. For example, AI could be used to improve decision making, project planning, recruitment and purchasing. In fact, there aren’t many areas of business that AI could not augment and support. Any process that involves decision making and analysis can be boosted with the assistance of a digital brain.
Are there any changes on the horizon that you’re looking forward to? Or anything that you think will shape the IT channel in 2018?
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]]>The post Does the collapse of Misco offer lessons for the IT channel? appeared first on Axente.
]]>The company had struggled to recover after a management buyout caused credit insurers to reduce their provision. Fewer distributors wanted to work with Misco under these conditions, leading to a reduction in trade. Misco CEO Alan Cantwell had been striving to reshape the business to include an expanded service offering, but the company ran out of cash before these ambitions could be realised.
At the same time, HMRC withdrew support for Misco’s proposed VAT repayment plan, forcing them to go into administration.
Alan Cantwell, talking to CRN said: “The cashflow issues were brought about predominantly by credit insurers reducing credit limits and HMRC deciding that the informal [payment] agreement didn’t work for them and forcing our hand onto a payment,” he said. “The two combined just meant we had no choice but to put the company into administration.”
Misco’s competitors were quick to point out that the company’s failure did not indicate a trend, and that the industry was generally healthy.
Phil Doye of Kelway tweeted: “#Softcat blows doors off & #Misco enters administration. If you can’t or won’t evolve (or get wrong people trying) its stupid not sad!!”
Perhaps the main lesson to learn from Misco’s demise is that, even in a flourishing industry, poor practices and a failure to evolve will still lead to extinction. No matter how good the sales people are and the amount of public sector frameworks you are on, if the business is mis-managed over many years then it is still likely to fail eventually.
Reselling can be lucrative, but the margins are thin, so cost-control is vital. One example of Misco failing in this regard is their Weybridge office – costing over £1m in rent and never more than 25% full in the years they were there. The decision to take on that site appears to have been borne out of vanity (by the then MD) rather than the needs of the business.
This is just one example of Misco’s reckless spending.
Looking from the outside in, it wasn’t difficult to spot that the top level direction needed sorting out. But alas, when someone did come in and start to make the necessary changes, it was too late. Once you’ve lost the confidence of the taxman and credit insurers, the writing is on the wall.
Good salespeople will always find jobs elsewhere, with other resellers always keen to snap up more end users and can justify short term taking a hit bringing these guys on. It’s the valuable backend staff that are likeliest to suffer for longer as there are fewer of these posts around, especially when you consider the location of the main office in Wellingborough.
We wish them all well!
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]]>The post Has the evolution of technology reached a plateau? appeared first on Axente.
]]>But has this rapid evolution slowed in recent years?
From 2007, when the iPhone was launched, to 2015, smartphones underwent a series of major shifts. Cameras became more sophisticated. Sensors were added. Processors were super-charged to cope with increasing demand from apps and games. Batteries were optimised. Smartphones went from being delightful gadgets to powerhouses of productivity.
A vast number of refinements and developments meant that the software was constantly expanding, putting an increasing strain on the hardware. As a result, it was normal to find that your phone began to slow down and grind through processes it once found easy
You would either tolerate a phone on a permanent go-slow, or you would fork out for the next device. This process repeated every year, like clockwork, and we all became accustomed to the short life-cycles of our treasured devices.
A similar pattern has repeated across PCs and laptops. In years gone by, computers would typically grind to a halt after a few years’ worth of software updates stretched the capacity of the processor and RAM. Apple PCs were possibly more resilient to this effect, but even these would gradually decline as Apple released updates to the operating system
But in recent years, that frenetic pace of development has slowed. And because software is no longer outpacing hardware, our devices are lasting longer.
That’s not to say that smartphones aren’t developing; it just seems that recent innovations are smaller, more incremental shifts, rather than great leaps forward. And this means that customers have fewer motivators for upgrading their hardware. After all, why buy a new PC or phone when your current device is performing perfectly?
Of course, this situation could change overnight if a new technology is launched, or consumers demand a new kind of application or use for their devices. For example, virtual reality could shift from niche entertainment to a mainstream pursuit – and this could push devices to their limits.
Security features could be another driver of change. For example, a new WiFi protocol might strain existing hardware – something not entirely inconceivable as the hacking community is currently discussing weaknesses in the current system (WPA2)
While hardware (and accessory sales) might be affected by this slowdown in innovation, it seems inevitable that this brief plateau is only a pause before we leap to the next big thing – whatever that might be.
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]]>The post Why distribution channel management must be proactive appeared first on Axente.
]]>If you want consistent sales growth, good distributor relationships and customers that love your products, you must manage the entire channel proactively, supporting distributors so that they can (and want to) offer your products in the best light.
At Axente we believe that sales agents should play a vital role in managing the channel, anticipating potential issues and proactively providing solutions. Let’s explore four ways that sales agents can help you prevent problems from becoming crises.
However organised your team, and however competent your partners, you will always encounter unexpected problems. The real skill is in responding calmly to challenges and finding the best possible solution. After many years of selling to distributors, we’ve experienced many of the usual challenges – such as stock shortages, lost deliveries and incorrect orders – and we know exactly how to respond.
Far better than reacting to problems, we always aim to anticipate potential problems before they arise. We do this, in part, by understanding the processes and requirements of our vendors and our distributors. By understanding every stage of every process, we can ensure that everyone’s needs are met.
We check stock reports every week, and then recommend a stock profile to distributors, helping to ensure they hold the optimal balance of each product, given past sales and expected demand. This process is about more than cultivating demand; it’s about ensuring our distributors are only ever holding the right stock to fulfil orders.
Our work doesn’t end with the order. We care about the entire transaction, from inception to completion, and consider it our job to ensure that every order is successfully delivered, on-time and as expected. By taking responsibility for the orders we generate, we improve the chances of our distributors having a positive experience of your brand.
As sales agents, we know that regular contact with distributors is important. In addition to building strong relationships, regular contact enables us to gauge the mood of the sector and to understand distributors’ internal pressures and goals. We can then adapt your offering to suit the distributor, constantly tweaking our approach so that you act in harmony with the distributor.
These are just a few of the ways that we proactively manage the distribution channel for our vendors. What do you think? Do you have any channel management tips?
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]]>The post Do Siri, Alexa or Cortana deserve a place in your office? appeared first on Axente.
]]>And you don’t have to buy a Google Home or an Amazon Echo to command a computer with just your voice.
Everyone with a modern Mac, Windows PC or iPhone can use artificial intelligence to get things done.
Windows 10 machines have Microsoft’s Cortana already loaded, and of course we’ve all had a laugh getting Siri to beatbox on our iPhones and iPads (if you haven’t yet, just ask Siri if she can beatbox). But do these gadgets have any practical applications? Is there a case for using more voice-controlled technology in the average office? Let’s explore a few potential uses for voice-activated personal assistants, and consider if these are just gimmicks for entertainment, or genuinely useful productivity tools.
Encourage greater productivity
Productivity seems to be the central promise of digital assistants. They’re supposed to save us time by allowing us to verbalise commands instead of typing, swiping and tapping. But like any technology, they can take a little getting used to. With voice-controlled assistants, users need to know what they can achieve, and how. This might sound obvious, but it’s easy to waste time asking a digital assistant to do something it can’t achieve, using language it doesn’t understand.
If you want to encourage your employees to start saving time with Siri on their phone or Cortana on their PC, you could start by sharing a list of suggested tasks to get everyone started. Once you know a few effortless ways to use the technology, you’re more likely to use it for other tasks.
Entertain visitors
Instead of sticking a TV in a waiting area, why not give people a virtual assistant to chat to? You could set up an Echo or a Google Home so that guests can choose their own music, or check the headlines, while they wait.
Book meeting rooms
Corporations that use the Teem application to manage their meeting room bookings can now use Amazon Echo to manage rooms. Because the Echo is always listening, it can automatically release rooms that are unoccupied, making them available to others. Teem is planning to expand Echo’s powers so it can be used to activate meeting room AV equipment verbally.
Music on-demand
With streaming music and voice-activation, you can give everyone in the office shared responsibility over the office stereo. Of course, this could quickly go off the rails, with everyone shouting out their requests!
Re-order essentials
A digital assistant in the print room could be a quicker, easier way to order stationery and printer ink.
What do you think? Are voice-activated digital assistants a pointless gimmick – or are they the future of technology?
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]]>The post What is the IT channel? appeared first on Axente.
]]>But we were recently reminded that the IT channel is not familiar to everyone, so we thought a short blog post was the best way to shed some light on this topic.
The IT channel is the approach used to get technology products and services from manufacturers to customers. Let’s look at a typical flow of a product through the channel, and then explore why IT is sold in this way.
Vendor – designs and builds products and services.
Distributor – provides warehousing and stock management of a wide range of products.
Reseller – helps customers find and buy the right products and services.
Customer – gets the right product at the right time thanks to the efficient IT channel.
Looking at this simplified flow of goods through the IT channel, one might wonder why there are so many participants in this market – and why products need to pass through so many hands to reach the end user. There are very good reasons for the IT channel’s existence. In no particular order, they are:
Without the IT channel, IT manufacturers would have to sell directly to individuals, corporations and small businesses. They would have many thousands of customers to deal with, including all the administration and risk that comes with it.
Without the IT channel, every manufacturer would have to hold their own stock, and manage a complex distribution network. The IT channel means manufacturers can ship to a handful of distributors.
The IT channel means vendors can focus on what they do best, while distributors and resellers manage the flow of goods to consumers.
When organisations order IT equipment and services, they prefer to send a purchase order to one or two companies, and trust that everything they need will be delivered on time. Without the IT channel, companies would have to place hundreds of small orders with different manufacturers – and that says nothing about managing additional accounts and payments.
As you can see, the IT channel serves a valuable purpose; it makes life easier for consumers while helping manufacturers to focus on what they do best. Every participant in the channel adds value and provides an indispensable service.
Is your business trying to navigate the IT channel? At Axente we have years of experience, and well-established links with distributors and resellers. Contact us to find out how we could help your business.
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