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Derek Jones, managing director at Synaxon UK, tells PCR why he’ll be attending this year’s Boot Camp…
How important is it for UK retailers and resellers to connect well with customers?
Of course it is essential but that has always been true in all types of business. Without a connection, an understanding and trust, we simply can’t do business. The old adage of ‘people buy from people’ is much more relevant in a sluggish economy.
What do you see being the key issues facing PC retailers in 2013?
Within the retail environment ‘footfall’ is always the number one concern for any business. Retailers have to work harder at attracting new (and old) customers to their store, they must offer exceptional service and support and they must diversify, not only in what they supply but how they go to market. Having an e-commerce solution is a prerequisite to a modern day technology retailer, professional multifaceted marketing is essential to their survival and purchasing from the best channel suppliers on the best trading terms is critical to compete.
What products/services will you be promoting at the event this year?
First and foremost is the low cost and great value membership of the UK’s market leading dealer community.
What should retailers look out for on your stand at PCR Retail Boot Camp?
Visitors should hook up with a Synaxon Business Development Manager and explore the Synaxon membership opportunity, the enormity and incredible value for money services available to their businesses is second to none.
What are the key brands you carry?
We work with the channels leading vendors and distributors to ensure that the independent sector receives exceptional service and support. Examples of just a few or our partner vendors include Cisco, Microsoft, APC, Bullgaurd, Fujitsu, Blackberry and many more.
On the distribution front examples include Ingram Micro, EntaTech, Westcoast, CMS, Beta, Widget and EET, all of these and numerous others are centralised through our EGIS procurement platform.
What are your predictions for the business in 2013?
I believe that the days of running a small ‘lifestyle’ retail shop are just about over and unfortunately these retailers need to change simply to survive.
Without a smarter and more dynamic approach to business we will once again see record numbers of independent retailers fail. My advice is – don’t just tweak a few things in your business – independent retailers need to take a step back, think outside the box and go for growth, they need to do things that they never even envisaged in 2011 or 2012 and with or without the support of an organisation like Synaxon UK they must recognise that if they do what they have always done, in 2013 they will not get the results that they have always gotten.
What distinguishes you from your competitors?
Due to the uniqueness and the vast scale of our UK channel support offerings we don’t actually have any direct competitors. However, we are naturally aware of other organisations that operate within the channel, they all tend to offer a partial solution to the independent sector, so I guess that what distinguishes us from these organisations is our exceptional service and support – our services deliver results.
What are you looking forward to most at Boot Camp?
As with all major channel events, meeting old friends, making new acquaintances and finding out from existing customers how Synaxon UK can better support their businesses.
