Seven local Microsoft Certified Gold Partners have established a consortium, entitled Total IT, to offer a single point of contact for client service as well as a reliable means of securing and channelling business opportunities.
Members of Total IT include recognised industry leaders Integr8 IT, Ability Solutions, Flowcentric, The i5 Technologies Group (Pty) Ltd, LGIT, Oakwell and SCM.
The brainchild of Glen Ansell, CEO of the i5 Group, with support from Bennie Strydom, sales director at Integr8 IT, this industry-focused initiative was established in 2006 in order to take advantage of specific gaps in the market.
Each member of Total IT has been selected based on specific expertise and skills sets. In addition to being Microsoft-focused businesses, the main common thread linking these companies is a firm commitment to alleviating any technical problems experienced by clients and helping them to gain maximum value from infrastructure.
Glen Ansell, CEO of the i5 Group, says Microsoft has expressed interest in this initiative and has endorsed it as a positive business networking strategy. The software giant has also committed to provide financial support to the launch phase of the initiative.
"The general consensus from the members regarding Total IT is one of unified vision and niche specialisation. All of our members are specialists in their respective fields with an opportunity to offer their customers a holistic solution based on their business pains. The common ideas surrounding this initiative is cross-selling as well as going to new customers with an overall strategy on how we, as Total IT, can assist you, the customer," says Vijayne Naicker, business development coordinator at i5 Technologies Group.
Integr8 IT, an established specialist provider of network integration and infrastructure management services, is a quadruple Microsoft Certified Gold Partner and one of the members of Total IT.
The company has a successful track record with Microsoft, having received numerous accolades including Microsoft Gold Partner of the Year, Gold accreditation in four Microsoft competencies including: Advanced Infrastructure, Network Infrastructure, Information Worker and OEM Hardware Solutions.
"We are proud to be a part of this initiative. It is an effective mechanism for the provision of holistic information and communication technology services," says Bennie Strydom, sales director at Integr8 IT.
"The market has responded positively towards the concept of a central point of contact for the provision of managed services and Total IT offers clients the benefits associated with a focused alliance."
Members of the initiative are offered the fruits of joint marketing and cross-selling opportunities. According to Naicker, the formation of this consortium is based chiefly on the realisation of existing relationships.
"Companies that feel they are in a position to provide a new area of specialisation are welcome to pitch their offerings to the consortium," adds Naicker.
The short-term goal of the consortium is to gain recognition in the market as a total IT one-stop-shop, while the long-term objective is to be the preferred IT vendor within the upper mid-market and enterprise sectors.
Members of the consortium have committed to engaging in Microsoft co-branding marketing initiatives and the media in order to increase the visibility of the initiative.
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Integr8 IT is a network technology services and solutions company. A renowned leader in the field of system integration, infrastructure management and support services, the company employs a wealth of highly skilled, best of breed, certified system engineers who are directly involved in high level consulting, support and integration.
The company's core focus is on network infrastructures specialising in design, planning, deployment, management and maintenance. Offices are located in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, with representation in Port Elizabeth, East London, and across the southern Africa region.
Integr8 IT is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner for Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, Network Infrastructure Solutions, Information Worker Solutions, and OEM Solutions.
It has been acknowledged and accredited with many awards, namely: Microsoft Gold Partner of the Year, African ICT Achievers - CIO of the Year for Africa, Best Customer Experience of the Year, Network Infrastructure Solution of the Year, Security Solution of the Year for Middle-East, Africa and Eastern Europe, Advanced Infrastructure Solutions, and many others, every year, since its inception.
Named as one of the country's Top ICT Companies and honoured with a position among South Africa's Technology Top 100 Companies, Integr8 IT has established itself as a strategic partner with numerous internationally-recognised technology vendors and industry leaders, including 3Com, Attix 5, CA, Citrix, Cisco, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, MTN Network Solutions, Sun Microsystems, T-Systems and Verizon Business.
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