Tech Information bags Premier Channel Partner award from Intel

By Cheranka Mendis

Tech Information Solutions Chairman Mohamed Naushad (R) receiving the Inter Channel Partner Premier Award from R. Sivakumar, Managing Director of South Asia Intel Corporation. Pic by Upul Abayasekara

Holding the title of the largest retailer in Sri Lanka for Intel products, Tech Information Solutions recently earned a rare honour by receiving the status of a Channel Partner Premier from the Intel Company.

 The recognition of becoming a Channel Partner Premier for Intel the world leader in computer processors, is only awarded to partners who are experts in the product and are top performing resellers who have a wide distribution network in their territories. It enhances the credibility of the receiver and is identified by Intel as the preferred source for Intel products and technologies and benefit from Intel’s world-class reputation and brand recognition.

Speaking to the Daily FT, Tech Information Solutions Chairman Mohamed Naushad stated that the win will put the company in a special category where Intel will undertake the advertising budget and would help the business and boost Tech Information Solution’s profits.

 Being honoured as a Channel Partner Premier — likely the only one in Sri Lanka at the moment — the company is now set to receive and enjoy individual attention and has access to exclusive Web-based information and exchange notes with other Premier Members at special member-only events. “The title as a Premier will help us reduce costs and increase revenues with special financial assistance programmes,” Naushad said, “moreover the recognition has given us a distinct advantage over our competitors in terms of local marketing activities and tools.”

“For us at Tech Information Solutions, being number one itself is an achievement,” Naushad said.

He asserted that the company which set up its operations in 1991 has ridden through ‘highs and lows’ to emerge as a quiet winner today. Mostly catering to the end users, Naushad believes that the company is the leading seller of laptops and personal computers. “Our strength is our after sales services and good quality products that we sell through our retail stores under the brand ‘Techzone.’ In most cases the products we offer have a long warranty period, some even life time.”

 Maintenance is not an easy task, he says. “Therefore we always concentrate on our after sales services. High quality products we sell under our name as well as the high maintenance and after sales services has helped us grow,” Naushad said.  Tech information sells an approximate 3000 -4000 processors a month — 40,000 processors per year.  

The company which has two outlets in Colombo (Unity Plaza) is currently getting ready to have an exclusive showroom in the Kandy City Centre this month. If all goes according to plan Tech Information hopes to have nine branches in the provincial capitals within the next two years.

Naushad admits that the company puts in a substantial amount of investment towards development; however he asserts that the volume growth was not all that high until last year. “We appreciate what the government has done to encourage IT in Sri Lanka. Taking off VAT on computers went on to benefit both sellers and users considerably. In certain countries internet has become an essential part for human beings — I believe that quite soon Sri Lanka too will achieve the same level of development.

 On general terms, he said that the IT industry in Sri Lanka has been growing at a fast pace in the  recent times. Many schools now have the privilege of computer labs even at a village level — “there is always a thirst to acquire a computer but the monetary factor was always a problem. Now the affordability is much high with the stable currency and computer prices going down in the world market.”  In short Naushad expects the growth to sky rocket next year augmenting the industry by 50-100 per cent.

 “The prospects are now clear. We in the IT industry are much keen to see the future unfolding as we believe that greater improvement in the industry is essential for the development of the total economy of the country.”

How to choose a PC

 Tech Information Solutions Chairman Mohamed Naushad lists out the basic factors to watch out for when it comes to purchasing a PC to support your needs: discuss with the sales person of the purpose of the purchase check the world ratings and performances ask around —  talk to your peers and IT officials go for widely used popular products check the after sales service Go for the computer that would serve your requirement and do not look for additional features at greater cost - (Processors change every month. Intel releases a new processor every three months).