Tarsus Technologies takes five at Compaq Channel Awards

The value-add distribution arm of JSE-listed MB Technologies, Tarsus Technologies walked away with five awards at the Compaq Channel Awards gala held on Friday evening. The awards received by Tarsus Technologies bear testament to the company`s recognition as the leading hardware distributor and also its supportive role in the channel in SA.

The major award for Tarsus this year was the Compaq "BDG Distributor of the Year" award, according to Tarsus Technologies MD, Guy Whitcroft. "Although we have received the Distributor of the Year award from Compaq every year since inception, this has always been an African award," he says.

By being recognised as BDG Distributor of the Year, Compaq has acknowledged that Tarsus is the leading distributor in its entire BDG region - a region comprising the whole of the Middle East, Africa, Central and Eastern Europe and a number of `smaller` European countries, too.

Considering the relative size of the economies and the PC market in many of these other countries, this is indeed a significant accolade and underscores the effectiveness of the channel in southern Africa - a channel which sees Compaq in such an extremely strong position when compared with many other, larger countries.

"We really see this to be recognition by Compaq of the exceptional strength of its channel in this region, rather than simply a Tarsus award, and this is something that the entire channel should be proud of," says Whitcroft.

The Channel Champion awards are awarded annually by Compaq to people who it recognises as having made significant efforts in assisting its sales process and success. Tarsus received three Channel Champion awards for 2001: these going to James Scott, Greg Pothitos and Alexis Peters for their sterling efforts in the areas of executive management, product management and sales respectively. Serena van Dyk was awarded a Channel Champion Lifetime Achievement Award for her consistently strong performance over the past seven years with Tarsus. "These Channel Champion awards really underscore the value-add we provide our resellers on the products we represent," Whitcroft comments.

Explains James Scott, director at Tarsus Technologies: "Our team is dedicated to being fast, focused, loyal and dedicated to the industry, and Compaq has recognised and rewarded this. We are constantly developing relationships with both our suppliers and customers alike, by maintaining personal care. "In spite of the difficult economic situation in SA, Tarsus Technologies continues to grow," says Scott, adding that in the year to come, Tarsus Technologies plans to meet all the challenges faced by a distributor of its calibre.

"Tarsus and Compaq South Africa have over the years formed a strong channel proposition for the Compaq brand," explains Gary de Menezes, channel and CRM director at Compaq. "We continuously rethink our business strategies to meet the demands of the customers and in unison ensure that we deliver, as a team, what the market is demanding.

"2001 has to have been the toughest year to date in the IT Industry, and a very trying time for all," he continues. "Local and international pressures and events resulted in a collapse in the economy and a high devaluation of the rand to the dollar, which directly effects the IT business. Despite this adversity, Compaq and Tarsus worked together to develop a model and a value proposition that enabled the success of the brand, this was an indication of the aggressiveness and adaptability of the Tarsus management team and staff, the ability to adapt quickly and efficiently, that saw Tarsus and Compaq`s business grow.

"We have a strong and successful partnership that continues to show benefits in the market, and Tarsus deserved to win the awards that they received," De Menezes concludes.