Comparex Africa Western Cape has secured a R17.5 million deal for the provision of managed services to Distell, the South African liquor producer formed out of the merger of Stellenbosch Farmers` Winery and Distillers Corporation two years ago.
The three-year contract, which began in August, covers the provision by Comparex Africa`s Managed Services division of infrastructure services, which includes wide area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), SAP Basis support, an IT user contact centre, network management, desktop and back-office services and support, and third-party vendor management for the blue-chip company, a member of the Rembrandt Group.
The deal forms a critical part of Distell`s recent move to increase its focus on core business by contracting out its IT technical support requirements.
The company`s customer contact centre, which previously consisted of a sub-contracted call desk to log calls and a helpdesk for second level support, will be moved into Comparex Africa`s offices at Century City. This will improve first-line contact with the company`s 1 700 computer users and resolve a greater percentage of questions and problems.
Eight permanent staff members have been transferred from Distell to Comparex Africa to enhance the smooth transition of operation between the companies.
"Our decision to outsource will free up management from the day-to-day running of operations to a heightened focus on business issues, operating efficiently and effectively," says Nick van Rensburg, technical services manager at Distell.
"We selected IT infrastructure as an area of the business where we could get quick returns from contracting out to specialists. From a total cost of ownership perspective, a project-centric approach to outsourcing complements the service we deliver and enables better planning and greater focus on our business model."
Van Rensburg says Comparex Africa competed with 18 vendors for the R5.85 million-a-year contract and, following intensive evaluation, was chosen based on its impressive market share in outsourcing, its competitive and transparent pricing and its favourable cultural fit with that of Distell.
"This contract provides an excellent opportunity for us to demonstrate the versatility and standard of the competencies of our various divisions," says Sian Boshoff, executive business developer of Comparex Africa`s Managed Services division. "The partnership will enable Distell to leverage from the economies of scale, expertise and best-in-class services provided by Comparex Africa."
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