Tarsus Distribution is the number one distributor of print and peripherals, according to South African resellers. This was confirmed as the company placed first in this category in the recent Channelwise Awards.
“It is always an honour to be recognised as the number one distributor in a category, especially considering this is voted for by our reseller partners. With it having been such a tough period for print through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is particularly gratifying to receive this kind of recognition,” says Robin Lloyd, General Manager for HP Printing and Personal Systems at Tarsus Distribution.
“We believe very strongly in our channel and our ability to deliver top-notch, white glove print services that compete with the best in class. Thus, it is incredibly satisfying to be recognised in this manner by our resellers. For us, this is a validation of the enormous amount of work and focus our print teams put in, in what is undoubtedly an extremely tough and competitive segment.”
Bernice Hynard, General Manager: Print Solutions at Tarsus Distribution, notes that print has always been an important product set within Tarsus, and the focus that the category receives has led the business to reconsider its model to market. The idea is to ensure even better collaboration with the organisation’s print partners and vendors, with a view to meeting all customers' needs.
Asked how Tarsus has successfully handled a changing and digitising industry, not to mention the recent COVID-related supply chain disruptions, Lloyd adds that the pandemic certainly accelerated the digitisation process in the organisation as a whole.
“We realised we needed to look at our traditionally manual processes and find ways to automate them, particularly in the supply chain, as the need to readily access information has become crucial.
“Print remains a component of this, as it is the on-ramp and off-ramp in a digital world. We believe that the many systems, market segments and legal requirements that currently exist will continue to dictate demand over the next five years. It is therefore important to note that while pages are down, machines remain robust,” adds Hynard
Lloyd points out further that the pandemic-driven supply chain challenges have certainly made things more difficult, particularly when it comes to managing estimated times of arrival (ETAs), customer expectations and more.
“Of course, the only way you can get through these obstacles is by ensuring constant communication with your channel and ensuring all stakeholders in the process are being fed the right information.”
Hynard says: “Our processes and IP around print and consumables management have afforded Tarsus a good performance, even given the COVID supply chain challenges. I feel that this award is recognition by our resellers of the hard work we put in here.”
And what of the future?
“We understand the need to continue to evolve as a business in order to ensure our continued relevance to the market. And as our Tarsus vision states, our goal is to be a digital and collaborative business that delights our customers – something this award proves we are succeeding at,” concludes Lloyd.
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