In a gala event held at Helderfontein on Saturday night, IBM acknowledged its top achievers in its channel, giving its partners credit for the company`s 32% growth last year - making SA one of IBM`s best performing regions in 2000.
"IBM globally has huge respect for its business partner network. It is the arms and legs of our organisation and without the contribution of our business partners, we simply could not grow the business - especially in the kinds of difficult economic circumstances we faced in 2000," commented Mark Harris, IBM SA country GM, at the annual Power of Partnership banquet.
TCM - which became the second premier IBM business partner in SA this year (joining Faritec), snatched up top honours by winning the top solutions and services business partner award. The Faritec Group received the top server business partner award.
"A crucial element of our business partners` ability to contribute to our growth is the fact they understand that we are a complete e-business solution provider and, accordingly, provide a holistic service to our customers," said Harris.
Lechabile IT Services won IBM`s development partner award - the Andisa award - while PQ Africa was recognised as the best newcomer of the year.
Individual salespeople within the IBM channel community were also recognised, with the best of the best receiving the prestige Top Performer Award, and a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in February.
The managing director of each of the winning companies received an all-expenses paid trip to Atlanta to participate in IBM`s annual global PartnerWorld convention in February.
IBM says customer satisfaction is objectively measured at each business partner by independent researchers on IBM SA`s behalf.
Judging also takes into account regional market differences, ensuring that business partners in all the provinces stand an equal chance of winning an award.
Winners in the PartnerWorld category are:
- Top Lotus GMB revenue - Unihold Business Solutions
- Top IBM software GMB revenue - CommerceQuest
- Top IBM Personal Systems Group Business Partner - Datacentrix
- Top IBM Personal Systems Group revenue growth - CSS
- Top Andisa Business Partner - Lechabile IT Services
- Top Percentage Growth Business Partner (servers) - Maxtec Peripherals
- Best Newcomer of the Year - PQ Africa
- Top Server (e-series) Business Partner - The Faritec Group
- Top Solutions and Services Business Partner - TCM.
Share
