C2000 asks channel for advice in AV offensive
Distributor claims customer demand for high-definition technology has made AV a retail product
Computer 2000 (C2000) is looking to plug product gaps in its audiovisual (AV) portfolio and is consulting resellers about what brands and types of technology it should stock.
The move is part of the distributor’s strategy to grow its AV business.
Kevin Wragg, business unit manager of peripherals at C2000, told CRN: “There are huge opportunities for us with AV products in the retail and SME spaces. Historically, AV distributors have focused on the education market, but with the demand for high-definition TV, AV technology is very much a retail product.”
Last year, C2000 began ramping up its AV business by recruiting a dedicated AV specialist to focus on building relationships with key reseller accounts (CRN, 4 July 2005).
“We brought Tracy Barrow on board from Maverick to be the business development manager for AV products,” Wragg said. “This year we are beginning to really turn things around by putting some significant investment into our AV business.”
One such investment has been the appointment of an AV business manager. Destiny Keys took up the newly created role last month, after having spent the past four years at Micro Peripherals as AV product manager.
“It is the right time for AV resellers to start to working with a distributor of C2000’s capabilities,” Keys said. “AV is moving into the mass market and to compete effectively you need the best possible supplier partnerships.”
Jon Sidwick, managing director of rival distributor Maverick, said: “C2000 will do a very good job of structuring a strong AV proposition, but is not a capable AV distributor able to offer the full breadth of products that Maverick can.”