WiredScribe: The Business of IT

If you thought that flashing a plastic card was the privilege of only the educated urban elite, think again. Smart cards have made inroads into the heart of rural India. And surprisingly, it is the Centre and the state governments that are taking the lead in bringing technology to the masses. Clink link below to read more about the status of smart card implementations across India http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20030623/focus1.shtml

Gone are the days when voice and electronic messaging were the hottest trends in communication. Unified messaging systems have now become a business tool for organisations the world over. But what’s the position on the home front? Stanley Glancy finds out http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20030623/indtrend1.shtml

Bill Cowper, industry director, Communications, Asia Pacific, Sun Microsystems, has worked in the telecommunications industry for 35 years, including 26 years with Telstra, Australia’s leading carrier. On a recent visit to India, he spoke to Stanley Glancy about Sun’s offerings for the Indian telecom sector . Click link to read more... http://www.expresscomputeronline.com/20040405/opinion02.shtml

http://www.channeltimes.com/story/creating-opportunities/ The IT industry greeted Finance Minister P. Chidambaram’s Union Budget 2006 with mixed emotions - a few lauded the FM’s fiscal prudence while others were critical of his decision to impose additional excise duties. However, a month down the line, when the confusion clears it will be business as usual for the channel. The excise duty and taxation issues can have an adverse impact on the IT channel in the short term. But several other measures announced by the FM will not only negate these effects, but can positively broaden the playing field for channel partners provided they get their act right. Education is the key to increasing the IT penetration ratio in the country. As long as close to 50 percent of the country’s populace remains illiterate, the target market is restricted to that extent. For 2006-07, the allocation for education has been enhanced by 31.5 percent to Rs 24,115 crore. The allocation for primary educ...

http://www.channeltimes.com/story/service-support/ That quality of service can make or break a company was made amply clear over the last few weeks when channel partners across the country took up cudgels against several manufacturers to protest against their apathetic attitude toward support service. And in each case, the manufacturer saw sales plummeting to unexpected lows till it promised to rectify its service support infrastructure. What made the situation even more interesting was that each of these manufacturers are acknowledged leaders in their space and are known to take service and warranty issues seriously. However, not many manufacturers have service centers of their own. Most outsource this requirement to third-party service providers. And therein lies the problem. While manufacturers do ensure that it partners with an established service provider, most leave it at that. No action is taken to ensure that quality standards are maintained at the promised levels ...

http://www.channeltimes.com/story/implementing-the-strategy/ Why do two competing companies with similar marketing strategies meet with diverse outcomes? The difference lies in the execution of the strategy. The success or failure of a strategy will come in its delivery, not in its objectives. Elaborate planning is not enough to win the channel s trust. Execution is the key. Strategy should extend beyond the drawing-board and deliver partners the tools and the capabilities to go to market successfully. Though execution plays a vital role in ensuring the success of a strategy, it could prove to be a daunting task. And therein lies the difference between a successful strategy and one that comes unstuck. The successful strategist expends equal amount of time and resources in formulating a strategy and, later on, in ensuring its success. The ones that fail to take off do so primarily because of lack of concerted efforts in its implementation. Manufacturers announce various ma...

http://www.channeltimes.com/story/the-vital-differentiator/ In the last few months there has been a spurt in the number of manufacturers vying with each other to introduce initiatives that will improve their after-sales service and support infrastructure. In fact, the trend started late last year, with Toshiba initiating “Talk-2-Toshiba”, a two-step process for users to reach Toshiba directly for service support solutions. Microsoft followed with its toll-free service program in January 2006. Taking a cue from Hitachi GST’s doorstep pickup and replacement service, Western Digital recently announced the launch of “WD Express” door-to-door hard disk warranty service. ECS is the latest to join the bandwagon with its pathbreaking “30-Minute Instant Service” policy for its 865G-M8 motherboards. Cost no longer seems to be the all-important criterion. Value has emerged as the key selling point. An aware customer today no longer thinks twice before buying a high-end LCD monitor o...