Dell helps alleviate skills shortage

A support partnership between direct selling giant Dell and services specialist Getronics is boosting technology skills levels in South Africa, thanks to the involvement of Getronics affiliate company Business Connection.

The local agreement between Getronics and Dell mirrors a similar international alliance, which enables Dell to focus on its core business of selling and providing first line support directly to customers, leaving field-based support to specialist suppliers.

As a preferred service provider, Getronics provides a warranty repair service on Dell products, which are supplied with a three - year warranty as standard. Business Connection serves as a local prepping centre for Dell, providing a range of functions including loading software, asset register marking and configuring machines to specifications.

Business Connection, headed by twin brothers Benjamin and Isaac Mophatlane, is earning a reputation for getting black talent on track in the IT industry. According to Benjamin, the prepping centre serves as a valuable stepping stone for new entrants to the IT sector.

"The Dell prepping centre enables people who are interested in careers as technicians to gain a solid understanding of the basics and provides an ideal platform for on-the-job learning. Business Connection is a young company, making it an attractive option as a launching pad for a career in IT."

Once prepping centre recruits have built a strong skills base, there is the potential to move into Business Connection`s mainstream Microsoft business - and Business Connection is one of South Africa`s largest Microsoft partners to the corporate and government sector. "This means that the Dell prepping centre represents a highly practical step in tackling South Africa`s skills crisis," says Mophatlane.

"Business Connection had to prove its ability to meet service level requirements, and is viewing the prepping centre as an opportunity to hone existing skills and bring new skills into the market.

"As Dell increases its market share, Business Connection anticipates that demand for its services will grow."

Dell customer services manager Rob Nunn says: "Dell`s reason for initiating the alliance with Business Connection and making it a local component in our supply chain was to uplift formerly disadvantaged people - giving previously unskilled people an opportunity to enter the IT sector, which could serve as a springboard into even more skilled arenas.

"As a global partner of Dell`s, Getronics is considered in all outsourcing opportunities. The Business Connection black empowerment strategy was particularly attractive to us.

"Although other partners were considered, Business Connection came up with the best all-round solution in terms of price, quality and service levels. The key benefits the agreement provides are flexibility, localisation and speed."

Nun says that Dell has been "very impressed" by the level of service delivered by the Dell/ Business Connection prepping centre, as well as its ability to "deliver to commitment under extreme pressure at times".

On the support front, calls are logged initially with the Dell helpdesk, for resolution if possible. If on-site intervention is required, calls are electronically routed to the Getronics system for on-site maintenance carried out by a highly qualified team of field operators and engineers.

In terms of the agreement, Getronics is responsible for logistics and spares for Dell. Getronics runs a warehouse in Spartan, stocking a range of spare parts including hard drives and screens. Fixed stock levels of close to R7-million are maintained thanks to a swop-out arrangement with Dell`s European headquarters.

Getronics staff involved with Dell support are all trained in project management, which ensures that rollouts proceed smoothly. With the launch of Windows 2000, for instance, Getronics ensured that its staff has had the technology training to enable them to streamline moves from Windows NT to 2000.

As South Africa tends to be highly proactive in terms of adopting new technology, Getronics anticipates strong demand for these transition skills.

Getronics` Dell team also incorporates a quality controller. "Getronics thus has a comprehensive range of resources to draw on in servicing the needs of its Dell customers," says John Mance, divisional director, Getronics Managed Services.

Dell`s key focus in South Africa is on the corporate market, where its direct and Internet-selling model have proven highly successful. The company`s strategy is also being broadened to incorporate the small and home business sector.