Briefs

SMC to woo the enterprise segment

Jimmy Goh

SMC wants to dispel myths that its presence is limited to the wireless segment and it has been catering to the SMB sector. The company has been aggressively targeting enterprises for their 10 Gigabit Ethernet requirements. Jimmy Goh, VP, Sales and Marketing, Asia Pacific, was in India recently to meet channel partners and brief them about the demand for 10 Gigabit Ethernet in the country.

After sessions in Delhi and Mumbai, the company wants to have interactions with its partners in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata. “The reason we are looking at these places is because data centres are coming up and these are the kind of companies with a high requirement for bandwidth,” remarks Goh. The other verticals that Goh thinks would boost the 10 Gigabit Ethernet market in India are pharmaceuticals and manufacturing.

While promoting 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology, Goh also believes that adequate training is necessary among the partners so that they can make customers understand the importance of such an application. “The strategy will be to tell customers that this is the technology and these are the ways through which they can maximise their productivity,” he says. He also feels that since they value a support system, they have a dedicated team in India to service customers.

Since companies would need a basic level upgrade before deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet solutions, SMC has launched a product in its 8700 series which is 10 Gigabit Ethernet-compatible. Goh believes that this is not just about technology but about the way one deploys it, in which sectors, applications and under what scenarios.

Apart from the 10 gigabit focus for the enterprise segment, SMC is also continuing its presence and going beyond the wireless segment. “We certainly do not want to be known as a company providing wireless products; rather, we would like to be known as one that provides end-to-end solutions. With a top-notch customer list in providing wireless hotspots (the Taj Group, Marriott, Hyatt Regency), the company feels that wireless technology is catching up among ISP’s, hospitality and retail segments.