In this age of information, technology is spurting with new solutions every day. Technology is being employed to bring in business effectiveness and performance. One has a PC, laptop, netbook, tablet and smartphone to work with, generate and store their data. Data storage is also multi-faceted with cloud, company database, web servers etc. There are too many interfaces which need to talk at the same platform and the concern for data security simply multiplies. 

AGC Networks Ltd. is India's Leading Solutions Integrator in Unified communications, AV solutions, Collaboration, Network infrastructure, Information security and Consulting & PSO. AGC has been delivering customized business solutions that help organizations accelerate revenue growth, increase market penetration, optimize operating costs and improve employee productivity, by embedding communication in their business processes. With a vision of being a world class solution integrator of choice, AGC Networks Ltd. is committed to providing clients with the best returns on their technology investments. It partners with global leaders like Avaya, Juniper, NICE Systems, Aspect, Verint, HP, Polycom, Cisco, NEC, Sony, Plantronics, EMC, Dialogic, NetApp, Checkpoint and Jabra. AGC Networks is a subsidiary of Aegis Limited, an Essar Enterprise.

Naved Shafi – Vice President - SME & Channel Business, AGC Networks Limited discusses with SMEWORLD his company's MSME strategy to strengthen their offerings and make their channels resilient.




Please elaborate on what the "Channel Partner Connection 2011" program is all about?

AGC Networks truly believes in mutually beneficial relationships. On one hand we focus & create associations with right set of partners, on second hand we ensure we provide them right ecosystem & platform for them to grow along with us. As we continue to grow, as a company, we have seen that partners are duly contributing to this growth story.  Our partners are forming a pivotal support system and playing a critical role in our growth strategyin India.

To take this relationship further we have launched a program called 'Channel Partner Connection 2011wherein we invite the existing & potential partners at a common forum & discuss various ICT solutions available for their target customers, and the strategy to take these solutions to right audience.

Where do SMEs fit into the bigger picture of AGC Networks "Go - to - market" Strategy. What are the specific offerings for SMEs?

SME according to me can be rightly called as the backbone of any industry & in India they have been growing at an exceptionally fast rate. Their growth has proven beneficial not only to various industries but also to Indian Economy.

However, this sector needs right form of handholding in form of training & other support, & we understand that. AGC at back end studies the solutions from SME perspective too. We ensure that every solution developed can be customized and custom sized so that it can be implemented for SMEs as well.  In addition, at AGC we have dedicated team which is experienced and trained to understand SME market & their needs. Our GTM strategy is primarily derived from the industry they operate in, what stage that industry is currently in and where the industry is heading. This helps us take right solution for SMEs. We then reach out to the target customers with our strong Channel Partner network of over 100 partners which we aim to increase by 30-40% by the end of this financial year.

What percentage of the total business revenue is contributed by SME and Channel business?

The target is to have around  10% of the total business revenue getting contributed by SME and Channel business & we see a huge opportunity which will be tapped in 2012.

What is the thought behind the strategy to focus on Tier II cities and which ones will you be targeting?

AGC Networks is working hard in strengthening our partners in Tier-II cities to tap the $1.5 billion SME opportunity for solution integration. SMEs today are playing a pivotal role for the growth of Indian economy by contributing around 45% of industrial output, 40% of exports, employing 60 million people, create 1.3 million jobs every year and produce more than 8000 quality products for the Indian and international markets. A lot of it is coming from Tier II cities.

Today we already have strong presence across all the metros& key markets like Jaipur, Chandigarh, Bhuvneshwar, Guwahati, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Nashik, Coimbatore, and Indore.

How much investment approximately would SMEs be expected to make to create a synergy with AGC?

We are heavily investing our time as well as money in developing our Chanel Partner team and equipping them with a large bouquet of solutions that will help them tap the market better. We have recently concluded a 9 city road show which was conducted with a purpose of building awareness on AGC solution portfolio as well as what we do to build a healthy ecosystem for our Channel Partners. Our focus is to train our partners well and support them end to end. 

What support do you provide to your channel partners?

Besides regular product trainings we also devise exciting channel incentive schemes so that our partner are highly motivated in promoting AGC solutions and are well rewarded for their support.

•     After sales support
•     Training certification
•     Lead Sharing
•     Solution Design Support
•     Pre-Sales Support
•     Installation Support
•     Schemes/Incentives
•     Joint Sales Calls

How much is the overall size of the market you are involved in? Who are your main competitors?

The estimated addressable market size for AGC is $ 1.5 billion.

Our main competitors are:

•     Datacraft
•     Wipro
•     HCL
•     IBM
•    Orange Business Services

What has been your biggest challenge till date in the SME segment?

We are in technology industry. We create and promote solutions which help enterprises operate in better manner. But does an SME owner see technology as a boon OR he feels that the way he is operating now is the best way? This is where a challenge lies. Most of SMEs are run in a traditional, family operated manner. Making them aware of technology & its benefits can be challenge as at times it disrupts their way of operating. Secondly these SMEs are scattered over a larger geography than large enterprises who have a corporate identity generally located in identifiable places.

Which new products and services are you planning to add through the channel partner program in 2012?

There is an in-house team of 250 software developers who are primarily working on developing & customizing solutions which would fulfill various daily business needs of an SME. A target with huge potential and can be best tapped with a strong channel network.

For more information log on to www.agcnetworks.com