Suppliers warned over professionalism levels
Intellect programme introduced to improve channel's reputation throughout the industry
IT suppliers must act with a greater degree of professionalism if the UK is to remain competitive in the global economy, according to a programme launched by the UK’s hi-tech trade body Intellect.
The Intellect Professionalism Programme has been designed to ensure that professionalism is embedded into all aspects of the IT supply chain, such as contracts and delivery.
Nick Kalisperas, director at Intellect, told CRN: “IT professionalism involves more than just signing paperwork and making deliveries on time, such as having effective management processes in place. This is one aspect of behaviour and best-practice aimed to get all suppliers acting like professional IT organisations.”
To kick-start the programme Intellect has published a paper IT Supplier Professionalism: an Intellect perspective identifying the key characteristics of professional IT suppliers.
“IT suppliers need to engage with us, as the benefits will only be really felt if they help us to get the programme running,” Kalisperas added.
The Professionalism Programme will also include a series of activities this year, such as an extensive stockholder debate on the IT initiative, and the publication of supplier guidelines designed to help suppliers operate to professional standards and to reassure end-users of their standards.
Intellect is not averse to attempting to further the channel’s standing in the IT community. Last year it published Freedom of Information Act – Guidance for Suppliers, a guide designed to support and safeguard the interests of IT suppliers to the public sector (CRN, 1 August).
Pete Mistry, technical sales consultant at VAR Eclipse Group, said that in his experience roughly 60 to 70 per cent of VARs suffer as a result of poor professionalism.
“Resellers fall down in some areas of professionalism. This guide will help them. If a VAR has a reputation for being professional then all the better, but I think a more vertical focus would be useful here rather than just focusing on the public sector,” he said.