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Marketing manager Kate Fuller runs through what the distributor will be showing off at PCR Boot Camp this year.
The event, held at the Brewery in London on Wednesday May 21st, is free to attend for retailers and resellers – to secure your place register here today.
The full conference line-up has also been confirmed.
We questioned Entatech’s Kate Fuller about their presence at this year’s event and what sets the distributor apart.
PCR: What products and services will you be promoting at Boot Camp this year?
Kate Fuller:This year we will be highlighting our full product range – which has grown tremendously since we were at Boot Camp last year – including our range of components and peripherals through to some of our newer services and products such as our newly expanded Plug & Play bundles and Construct-A-PC service.
We will be joined by a few of our vendors including Microsoft, Trust, TP-LINK and Transcend and will be conducting breakout sessions, in conjunction with Microsoft, to promote the demise of Windows XP and Windows SBS, the new options that are available to users. These sessions will outline how resellers can capitalize on the XP migration opportunities available to them by encouraging customers to upgrade to newer Microsoft platforms.
What are the key brands/lines you carry?
We have established brands, and continue to build on our relationships with those brands, including Microsoft, Fujitsu,Kingston and ZOTAC to name but a few. We’ve been fortunate enough to further expand our product portfolio and have also established new agreements over the past six to 12 months with vendors such as Philips, 3M, Pico Genie and Coolermaster, and provide more software solutions from vendors such as Double-Take and Nuance.
What are you most looking forward to at PCR Boot Camp?
First and foremost, meeting our resellers – it’s always great to have the opportunity to meet with them face to face and see what their thoughts are on the newest vendors and products in our portfolio. Secondly, it’s always great to meet with our other acquaintances, some of whom we have worked with and alongside for many years – which is where the after party comes into play!
What distinguishes you from your competitors?
Firstly – our office! Anyone who has visited Entatech HQ is surprised and amazed by our office, which is in a purpose-built pagoda, surrounded by koi-carp fish and Taiwanese architecture – it’s definitely not your typical office. Secondly, our staff and resources. We have been incredibly fortunate, especially with the announcements that have made the press over the past few months, that we have been able to continuously expand – in terms of our working space (i.e our Southern sales office and warehouse expansion), our staff and our product portfolio.
Next year Entatech will be reaching 25 years of business which is a fantastic milestone to reach – and one that could not have been possible without our dedicated staff, customers and vendors.
What do you see being the biggest challenge facing PC retailers at the moment?
The fight between tablets and PCs has been well documented and I believe this will continue for many years to come. As with any form of technology that is given an innovative rebrand or design, there will always be resellers – and consumers – who prefer to stick with what they know. Although I don’t doubt tablet sales will be greater than PC sales I believe the sales of PCs will continue and the products will not become obsolete. Consumers will just add to their portfolio, owning multiple devices and gadgets and replace and upgrade their PCs where necessary.
Entatech distribute mini PCs, desktop PCs, laptops and tablets to meet the demand across the market and so long as we continue to do this, we will always be able to meet the demands of our resellers and their own customers whatever their requirements.
In your opinion, what’s the most important thing for retailers and resellers to bear in mind when dealing with customers?
In terms of generating sales, I think it’s important to remember that your customers will, in many cases, be purchasing from your competitors as well as your company. As a result, it’s imperative that customer service is key and high up on your company agenda. You must aim to provide a superior customer experience from start to finish and work towards building a strong relationship with your customers. Our sales staff have always worked on not just building a professional relationship with their customers, but a personal one too and it is this kind of a rapport and attention to detail which can help you retain custom.
What do you think will be the next big thing in tech?
Wearable tech – we’ll all be wearing and monitoring all sorts of things in the future. Although it’s not so commonplace at the moment, manufacturers will be getting their products more mainstream and more fashionably wearable before we know it!
What is your proudest moment as a company?
There are several moments that I’m proud of but one that really sticks out is when we hit £100 million turnover for Entatech. We’ve continued to grow year on year and last year we achieved 12 per cent year-on-year growth on breadth. Also winning awards – we’ve been recognized by the industry and presented with some fantastic awards which is a great accolade for the company and the relevant teams.
What gadget can’t you live without?
My Windows phone! Even when I’m away from the office, I’m still connected and can keep on top of emails and keep my personal and work diary organised. I also don’t go anywhere without my tablet – where I can check emails, read the news, do a spot of shopping and read my book. I can’t stand not having anything to read or occupy me when I’ve got nothing to do!
For more information on PCR Boot Camp, visit the official website here
