AxizWorkgroup has announced it is the first distributor in South Africa to join SAP’s authorised reseller programme, part of the SAP PartnerEdge programme.

Through participation in the programme, AxizWorkgroup is now authorised to offer resellers in Africa the following SAP solutions as part of its overall portfolio of offerings: SAP Sybase Adaptive Server Enterprise (SAP Sybase ASE), SAP Sybase IQ software, SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere solutions, and the SAP Afaria mobile device management solution.

These products help address the technology, database and mobility requirements of companies and are not restrictive to specific businesses but are relevant to businesses ranging from small businesses to midsized enterprises (SMEs) to large corporations.

The solutions can accommodate respective business needs and requirements. This announcement marks the expansion of AxizWorkgroup’s partnership with SAP Africa, as it has been a valued distributor in Africa of SAP Crystal solutions for over 20 years and SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence (BI), Edge edition software for the past two years.

Meeting the growing demand from smaller organisations for advanced business intelligence software solutions, this announcement represents a significant opportunity for resellers, who are often the preferred partner for small businesses.

As a select distributor in the authorised reseller programme, AxizWorkgroup will give SAP Africa access to a base of over 4 000 active resellers, which forms part of the rapidly growing analytics market in Africa.
AxizWorkgroup will be the first African distributor of SAP Sybase ASE, SAP Sybase IQ and SAP Afaria, allowing resellers to purchase these products directly from AxizWorkgroup.

This is expected to provide SAP with access to untapped SME markets in Africa and access for AxizWorkgroup to a world-class new portfolio of products and revenue stream from SAP.

“SAP is a recognised global industry leader,” says Desmond Nair, head, Ecosystem and Channels, SAP Africa.
“The SAP programme for authorised resellers is comprehensive and enables resellers to purchase SAP products through a formalised distribution channel. Through our partnership with AxizWorkgroup, we expect to expand and grow the market landscape through these product offerings now available to resellers directly from AxizWorkgroup.”

“The resellers on our books vary from small one- or two-person teams to much larger organisations addressing the broad range of target markets,” says Sally Berimbau, business unit manager, AxizWorkgroup.
“Of these resellers, we have already identified over 100 that are interested in the programme. Considering our network in South Africa and the rest of Africa, we believe this number will increase significantly. Following the successful merger of Axiz and Workgroup in 2011 adds to AxizWorkgroup’s credentials,” continues Berimbau.

“We are a strong and prominent leader in IT infrastructure distribution with decades of experience in the distribution of software and hardware, with thousands of business partners across the African continent. As a distributor for SAP in the authorised reseller programme, we will tap and broaden this expertise to ultimately benefit SME customers.”

The programme for authorised resellers – part of the SAP PartnerEdge programme – offers new revenue streams to distributors through an expanded portfolio.

Additionally, distributors participating in the programme are able to offer resellers of BI solutions an entry point into one of SAP’s fastest-growing markets as well as an opportunity to expand and further specialise their partner base. As a distributor, AxizWorkgroup will serve as single point of contact for resellers and will be responsible for billing and collecting revenue from authorised resellers.

To join the authorised reseller programme, resellers must be sponsored by a SAP-endorsed local distributor. They must also meet minimum programme entry requirements, which include signing a partner agreement and fulfilling the product authorisation requirements. Resellers that join the programme benefit from the following:
* Reduced entry barriers by gaining membership with no initial or recurring programme fees;
* Full access to authorised reseller product education at no cost;
* Attracting more business and increased profitability with BI solutions, priced for SMEs;
* Generating revenue with consulting and professional services, receiving certified training on implementing SAP solutions and access to resources to help boost add-on sales and upgrades;
* Receiving expert assistance through SAP-endorsed distributors; and
* Gaining access to online SAP partner sites and automated tools, including partner-specific resources, marketing tools and collateral to help increase brand awareness and demand generation.