Yatra a Boon For Small-Town Dealers

The DI Yatra meet at Rourkela, Orissa saw Seagate, Logitech and Xerox provide a podium for information about new products and technologies that the manufacturers have launched in the recent past or are planning to unveil in the ongoing quarter.

Fifty-six channel partners attended the meet.

Jems Samuel, proprietor, Aptech Computer Education, said, "The IT market is very well-eveloped in Rourkela. Small Office Home Office (SOHO) and big corporate are the two main segments where the demand for desktops are in large numbers. HCL and Zenith are the companies whose products are in great demand. Samsung too is having a strong hold in Raurkela market for its monitors."

Samuel said the vendors should personally keep in touch with the dealers and resellers of small towns so that they are kept uptodate about the new products, etc, "By the time the schemes, products reach us it is quite late."

Rajesh Singh, proprietor, Virus Infotech, said, "The Discover India Yatra was excellent, as for the first time it gave small-town dealers, resellers the opportunity to meet the venders' officials face to face. The market here is like a mixed bag. The buyers are from education centers, colleges, small offices and big corporate too."

According to Singh, assembled PC's are in great demand. People buy them and then they go for upgradation as it becomes cheaper rather then purchase branded ones.

The demand in Barbil, a neighboring town of Rourkela, is more from big corporate like Birla Group, Tisco, etc. Shailesh K., proprietor, Traders India, said, "There is 80 percent IT literacy in Barbil. Small companies go for assembled ones, but the corporate people go for high-end products. LG, HP, Samsung are the companies who have a strong hold in Barbil market."

He added that the vendors should open at least one service center in small cities like Rourkela so that dealers, resellers don't suffer in their business.

"The Yatra played an important role in sorting out certain issues the resellers had with reference to replacements. Though the business in the district has been growing at an average rate, certain service-related issues had proved to be a bone of contention between partners and customers," added Shyam Das, proprietor, Computer Age.

The channel members hoped the vendors would organize such events so that small dealers and resellers get a chance to grow their business.