/dqc/media/agency_attachments/3bO5lX4bneNNijz3HbB7.jpg)
Follow UsNew Delhi:DQ Channels, the voice of the solution provider community in India, held its sixth Channel Choice Awards night at the Indian Habitat Center in New Delhi on 16th March, 2009. The event saw over 250 channel partners and vendors converge to collect their coveted trophies while the others cheered the winners.
The night started with a short video presentation on green IT in which industry stalwarts spoke about the measures they were taking in their companies to encourage green IT and by when they expect to recover the costs.
Speaking about the slowdown and its effects on the industry, Prasanto K Roy, Chief Editor, DQ Channels pointed out that there is a positive side to the economic scenario. “Everyone is becoming cost effective. Businesses are looking at reducing costs and that is where the opportunity lies for the channel and vendor community,” said Roy. While green IT has been around for the past few year, it is no more limited to being “fashionable”, it is on the contrary critical to some businesses. Energy is in fact half of a companies operating expenditure and that as Roy pointed out, is where the community needs to find their opportunities. “If you can show people the benefits, give them packages in tune with the times, there is tremendous potential,” advised Roy.
Drawing a link between the channel and vendor community, Roy stated that the fact that vendors are understanding the importance of the channel community is evident from the increased investments and interaction with the channel.
Next was a presentation by Deepak Kumar, GM-Computing, Peripherals, Communication from IDC India who shared details about the method in which the survey was conducted and the attributes that were considered.
The award announcements were interspersed with light quiz questions that got the crowd thinking and at times roaring with laughter at the amusing answers given by a few.
Receiving the Gold Channel Champion award, Neelam Dhawan, MD, HP India attributed HP's success to team work. “It is an honor receiving the award, which couldn't have happened with out the channel or team work between our teams at HP and the channel. We won 13 awards out of the 30 that were given out tonight. The awards we didn't get show the areas we need to work on for the following year and it is part of our immediate scorecard,” said Dhawan.
Drawing the evening to a close, Ibrahim Ahmad, Group Editor, DQ Channels pointed out that though the economic situation was down the mood was not which was important as that would determine how we all move forward. He also highlighted the trend of vendors moving towards the hinterlands of India and how in this aspect too vendors would need the help of the channel to succeed.
The gathering exchanged notes and caught up over drinks and dinner.
CHANNEL CHAMPIONS
GOLD HP India
SILVER D-Link India
Category Commercial Terms
Gold D-Link India
Silver Lenovo India
Category Relationship Management
Gold Samsung India
Silver HP India
Category Online Support
Gold HP India
Silver Lenovo India
Category After Sales Support
Gold HP India
Silver D-Link India
Category Brand Image
Gold HP India
Silver Intel India
Category Marketing Support
Gold HP India
Silver Lenovo India
Category Product Quality
Gold HP India
Silver D-Link India
PRODUCT CATEGORIES
Category Desktops
Winner HP India
Category Notebooks
Winner HP India
Category x86 servers
Winner HP India
Category Inkjet printers
Winner HP India
Category Laserjet printers
Winner HP India
Category Monitors
Winner Samsung India Electronics
Category Motherboard
Winner Intel India
Category Processors
Winner Intel India
Category Hard disk drives
Winner Seagate India
Category Tape drive
Winner HP India
Category Wired networking
Winner D-Link India
Category Wireless networking
Winner D-Link India
Category Structured cabling
Winner D -Link India
Category UPS
Winner APC India
Category Security software
Winner Quick Heal
Category Enterprise software
Winner Microsoft India