Mumbai association creates history

Mumbai-based Association of System Integrators & Retailers in Technology (ASIRT), is making strides with innovative programs and initiatives to make a substantial difference to the health of the channel community. As part of this agenda, earlier this month, during a member-speak event at ASIRT Techday, members took some path breaking decisions, aimed at bringing in sweeping changes, wherein all ASIRT members agreed that they do not want to be involved with supplying or loading pirated software and pledged to stop offering software loading services free of cost with systems.

Kshitij Kotak, president, ASIRT said, "For years, the SI and retail community have worked on wafer thin margins with partners hell bent on under-bidding each other thereby bringing the entire industry including their own business onto the verge of disaster." He further added, " IT support and deployment services are being offered for a pittance, annual maintenance contracts and even basic services are being offered at prices which vary greatly and are mostly unsustainable. This also leads to end-customer dissatisfaction due to limited resources bandwidth."

Based on member-speak discussion, ASIRT shall present a program to enable partners offer excellent professional services, infuse confidence in customers and help members build their services business profitably. Going ahead, ASIRT, as a part of this program, will define service standards for its members who are offering IT support, AMC, Installation and Software deployment services.

Furthermore, by signing a simple charter document, ASIRT members, will indicate their willingness to abide by these service and support standards highlighted by the president. He further said, "Upon signing, they would be offered advisory of suggested, non-binding, charges for various of these services based on general costs discovered with the ASIRT Evolve Tool."

The association with this initiatives aspires that the end-customers expect quality service standards from their IT service provider.

In a landmark move, ASIRT says 'NO' to free and pirated software loading. Interestingly, the entire fraternity of ASIRT members agreed that they do not want to be involved with supplying or loading pirated software. They also promised to stop offering software loading services free of cost with systems.

At the member meet, ASIRT members have taken a pledge to stop this practice immediately. Henceforth, ASIRT members will not offer any form of pirated software preloaded with systems and nor will they offer any form of software loading services free.

ASIRT is expected to present their new program to the IT community by Jan 2013 and the association hopes that this movement to catch up across the country.