Lexmark appointments boost SME distributors
Printer vendor appoints two members of staff to handle its distributors' SME problems
Lexmark has strengthened support for its four UK distributors – Midwich, Ingram Micro, Northamber and Micro Peripherals – with the creation of two new roles in its UK SME team.
Declan Cobbe has joined the prin-ter vendor from Dell to take on the role of dedicated distribution account manager, while Gillian Archer has been appointed as channel operations manager.
Mark Seaman, SME director at Lexmark, said: “We’ve listened to the needs of our channel partners. We have taken on board their feedback to make the necessary investments to ensure we’re easy to do business with.
“Lexmark is totally committed to an indirect business model. As such, it is important that we offer distributors the best levels of service, and ensure that our processes and systems are as efficient as possible.”
Cobbe’s new role will see him spend between 80 and 90 per cent of his time on the sales floor at distributors’ offices, where he will help them to grow business and pass information onto VARs. Archer will be focused on ensuring the smooth operation of back-office functions, such as billing, rebate payments, stock allocation, logistics, reporting and forecasting.
Lexmark will also continue its investment in Lexmark specialists at each of its four distribution partners. These specialists are dedicated Lexmark contacts funded by the vendor, that act as a focal point for Lexmark queries on distributor sales floors, as well as for resellers.
Jason Harcourt, senior analyst at Context, said: “Due to the size of the SME market, everyone is looking to capture a bit of it. If Lexmark can improve its relationships with distributors, and that in turn is passed on to resellers, then it should be a good move for the vendor.”