Durban-Data Imports, the official importer and distributor of Olivetti’s range of colour and mono digital photocopiers, facsimiles, printers, calculators and cash registers for the Sub-Sahara Region, is partnering with Huge Telecom by adding GSM-based telephony solutions to its product offering.
The company distributes its products and services through a large (and growing) network of almost 100 dealers countrywide. It boasts a solid track record of growth since its inception as one of the first Olivetti dealerships in South Africa in January 1990.
Understanding the changing market dynamics, and the need to offer the greatest value to its customer base, Durban-Data Imports launched Olicomm, through which it offers Huge Telecom’s range of leading GSM-based telephony solutions to its business customers, via its dealership network.
“We think that this partnership adds tremendous value to the existing Olivetti business by greatly enhancing the revenue earning potential of every Olivetti Business Partner. Every Business Partner is now easily able to add telecommunications to its existing product offering,” says James Herbst, Huge Telecom CEO.
This partnership has taken a number of months to finalise – Durban-Data Imports put Huge Telecom through a stringent investigation process to ensure that the solution offered to the market, via its national base of independent dealerships, was of the highest standard and a good fit for all concerned.
“They certainly put us through our paces,” recalls Herbst, who comments that one of the key aspects he thinks distinguished Huge Telecom from other telecommunications companies is the time and effort Huge Telecom dedicates to understanding client and business partners, as well as Huge Telecom’s ability to work professionally and efficiently.
Huge Telecom, like Durban-Data Imports, does not compete with its channel – it does not operate an internal sales force and supplies its services only through accredited Business Partners.
This focus on the channel is one that has seen Huge Telecom double the size of its channel in the last 18 months and this latest partnership now brings the total number of Huge Telecom’s partners to over 300. Not bad for a company with just 64 business partners on its books a few years ago.
“Our telecommunication solutions are a great fit for any company requiring speed, efficiency and great service; we have managed to package this in a way that makes it incredibly simple for any reseller with an existing customer base to turn on an additional revenue stream, literally overnight,” says Herbst.
Since Huge Telecom is focused solely on providing voice, messaging and data connectivity solutions, it is able to deliver superior after sales service and support. Its speed of implementation is such that it enables partners to focus their effort on driving sales, selling more and adding to their bottom line.
Huge Telecom’s focus on connectivity – it does not supply any office equipment such as printers, consumables or PABXes – also makes it a great fit for those resellers wary of suppliers who choose to compete with their own resellers, thereby putting the client base of the reseller at potential risk.
The partnership sees Huge Telecom providing sales, marketing and technical expertise for voice, messaging and data connectivity services to Olivetti’s network of dealerships around the country.