AFRICA
REGIONAL
CHANNELS
AFRICA
A new programme launched
by Comstor Africa will provide
customer-relevant technology
solutions by placing end user
needs at the heart of evolving
business needs.
INSPIRE AFRICA REINVENTS THE
AFRICAN TECHNOLOGY CHANNEL
Comstor Africa has announced
the launch of its Inspire Africa
programme. The innovative
channel-centric programme is
designed to empower partners and end
users by providing access to an extensive
range of digitally relevant vendor solutions,
innovative self-help tools, as well as a host of
training and Value Added service offerings.
“People being forced to work remotely
during the challenging times we are faced
with are putting companies under pressure
to implement ICT solutions that enable this.
And while this creates opportunities for the
channel, the traditional way of managing
the sales cycle is evolving to become more
digital-centric. The lockdown in many
countries is reinforcing this with partners
needing to find increasingly innovative ways
to install, manage and support solutions
for their customers,” said Vincent Entonu,
Director at Comstor Africa.
Fundamentally, Inspire Africa represents
a new approach to the channel that consists
of training and enablement, professional
services, Software-as-a-Service and crossvendor
solutions. It addresses how the
technology of yesterday will no longer be
relevant in the future. The focus remains
on helping partners and end users on the
continent to embrace change with futureproof
technologies that will outlive the
global pandemic.
“For us, it centres around a value
proposition that integrates the expertise
and solutions of our top vendors to create a
compelling partner-driven offering. This sees
the combining of unique cross-architecture
vendor solutions to equip partners to
provide their clients with the means to
conduct business more efficiently. We are
looking to be part of the future by making
our business part of the solution – instead of
just selling technology for technology sake,”
added Entonu.
Inspire Africa is built around core vendor
solution sets:
• Cisco (secure remote working, business
solutions and video conferencing)
• Veritas (data replication and reducing the
risk of data loss)
• NetApp (enabling a hybrid cloud
environment and becoming less reliant
on physical applications)
• Solarwinds (data security and aligning
the requirements of Cisco, Veritas and
NetApp across industry verticals)
Comstor Africa will make these offerings
available through partners via its traditional
channel-centric model as well as innovative
digital options that is now a key strategic
pillar to drive a digital first strategy.
The latter equips its channel partners
with the tools, technology integration
and automation they need to better sell
technology no matter the logistics behind
how solutions are delivered.
“Inspire Africa makes it even easier
for partners to do business with us. A
self-service portal with a visual dashboard
that tracks the journey and progress with
training and enablement, access to vendor
promotions and incentives as well as new
ways to accelerate and earn.
“With the new way of doing
business, virtual events and training
sessions will be part of everyday
business life, our customers can book an
array of virtual sessions on the Inspire
Africa portal.”
Putting these innovative tools in place
helps ensure partners across the Comstor
ecosystem can become more pro-active in
servicing their client requirements, especially
around remote working solutions.
“Inspire Africa provides the perfect
platform to change the channel operating
model into a more efficient one befitting
a digital-centric business environment
that necessitates round the clock access to
ICT solutions.
“It provides immediate insight into and
access to technologies that have been
created to meet modern business demands.
Both of which result in significant additional
revenue opportunities for our partners
as they grow into new market segments,”
concluded Entonu. •
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