CRN Hot Seat 2013 - Terry Betts

Managing director of CCS Media gives Sara Yirrell the low-down on the reseller's growth plans - and why the economy is in better shape than pundits would have us believe

What are your plans for 2013?

We recently posted our FY2012 results which saw us smash through our £80m revenue target and double our net profit in the past year. We have plenty of growth plans for the coming year.

We are aiming to hit turnover of £96m this financial year.

My plan for the coming year is that hardware will grow 15 per cent, software 12 per cent, networking 19 per cent, technical services 27 per cent, consumables and accessories 25 per cent and stationery 38 per cent.

We are in a very strong financial situation and we have £5m in the bank so if something that would be a good fit came on the market, we would look at buying it. Because we are a private limited company we have no external pressure, so if something comes around that would fit with the business, we have the financial strength to make the move.

I am also looking to take on more staff – 20 to 30 in total. We opened our first Sales Academy in Chesterfield last year and have taken on 10 apprentices so far in partnership with Chesterfield College. The industry is filled with the same people moving around – if you want to grow, you have to train a new workforce. You also have to have sites large enough to cater for them. As a company we have lots of apprentices and trainees spread around.

Which product areas will be strong for you this year?

Services are very in vogue at the moment and I certainly want that area to generate additional profit this year, but the product market is vast and I will be looking to bring in new product ranges throughout 2013.

We will definitely be looking at telephony this year as well.

All product areas – bar tape media – grew rapidly last year, especially areas that some are saying are dead, such as client. I certainly do not see that being the case at all.

One thing is for sure: I will not take my eye off basic components/hardware, regardless of how the services business grows.

HP are a dream at the moment, they have really transformed themselves and are being aggressive as well, which has helped us go for market share. Our other vendor partners are also performing very well.

At the moment we are not noticing demand for Windows 8, but I know Microsoft has something up its sleeve that will ensure sales pick up this year, so that will be interesting.

How do you think the economy will pan out in 2013?

Our industry is not doing too badly at all. You do not hear many people [in the channel] spouting doom and gloom. The market is tough because some areas of IT are more of a commodity that are not in as much demand, but it is definitely not all negative. I would say the market is better than some people are making out. Unemployment is going down and I do not think the economy is as bad as pundits are suggesting.

When we talk to our clients, everyone says it is tough out there and they are having to spend wisely, but they are not saying they cannot spend. The money is definitely there, but I do not think people are going to be refreshing every two or three years like they did in the past – that market style has definitely gone.

And we are affected by Europe. Every time bad news comes out of there, we suffer a slight blip – and obviously we have seen what has happened with the likes of HMV – but that is because they did not reinvent their model fast enough.

I truly think this year will not be as bad as it's being made out.

COMPANY PROFILE
CCS Media was founded in 1983 and is a privately owned reseller supplying more than 4,000 customers with everyday IT, print and office supplies and delivering large-scale IT projects. The firm has 16 sites across the UK and employs more than 250 people. Its vendor partners include HP, IBM, Apple, Cisco, Microsoft, DellEqualLogic, McAfee, VMware, Ricoh, Symantec and D-link.