| | Feb 25th, 2005
| | | Sales, export opportunities stressed at ICT forum
| | | BY KHALID MALIK Telegraph-Journal
SAINT JOHN - Participants in an Internet communications technology industry forum Thursday were asked to utilize their New Brunswick advantage and develop a result-oriented sales force if they want to succeed in the ever more demanding information technology market.
Mike Lindfield, chief executive officer of Comprehendex Corporation, told the delegates the only way they will continue to be competitive in the ICT market is to make their sales operations more effective.
He said they should also beef up their capacity to sell solutions, not just a particular software.
"ICT organizations will find it increasingly difficult to market a portfolio of products to address prevailing technology issues if they do not address business transformation solutions," he said following his presentation to the propelsj-sponsored forum.
Mr. Lindfield said companies are only interested in investing in technology if it is going to improve soperations and bottom line.
"You may buy a technology to meet the demand imposed by your client, but it may not do anything for your bottom line," he said.
For example, he added, merely changing from an analogue system to digital doesn't do anything for a firm until the new system gives them new business.
"We need to act on it today because the markets are becoming much more competitive. Our early achievements could be lost as the rest of the world passes us by," he said.
Mr. Lindfield said Atlantic firms have the advantages of a lower cost structure and an excellent physical infrastructure that provides them with an educated workforce and excellent research and development facilities with institutions like the National Research Council.
Denis Vance, chief research officer and group vice-president of IDC Canada, also talked about New Brunswick's excellent infrastructure. "The province has a computer savvy workforce. Other provinces don't have it," he said.
Being officially bilingual also gives New Brunswick an edge, he said.
He said New Brunswick ICT companies have proved that they are not "one-year wonder," but in order to be continue to be successful they should concentrate on becoming specialists.
He said that because the companies are smaller they should specialize in certain growth areas, like voice over IP or X over IP, which is the next generation of technology. The "x" means tthe many things that can be done through an Internet Protocol.
Mr. Vance said 20 per cent of small and medium enterprises (SME) are thinking of piloting voice over IP.
"There is a real market emerging for suites of software that fit a certain business. The companies don't want a 70-per-cent solution, they want a 100-per-cent solution," he said.
There is a trend emerging of outsourcing the whole HRD. This is the fastest growing segment of business processing solutions, he said.
Mr. Vance said U.S. companies would look favourably to New Brunswick for outsourcing their HRD because it shares language and culture and has a similar legal system.
"They will be nervous transferring this kind of work to India, but they will be very comfortable with Canada," he said.
Mike Tilley, president of CanLink Global, whose company assists firms in becoming "China-ready," asked delegates to keep the Asian giant in mind when looking for export opportunities. He said there are more than 500 Canadian firms located in China and many more are exporting and investing there.
Information technology will be the leading industry in China in 2005 and achieve a growth rate of around 25 per cent over the coming four years, he said.
Mr. Tilley said Chinese ICT companies are quickly moving to North America, if not by establishing companies then by investing in them.
He said New Brunswick has tremendous advantage over other provinces because of its education link with China.
Mr. Tilley asked the delegates to think about participating in the China High Tech Fair that will be held Oct. 12-17. About 10,000 exhibitors from around the world are expected to take part. His own company will lead 10 companies to this year's fair, he said.
Earlier in welcoming 81 delegates from 47 companies from all over New Brunswick, David Duplisea, a propelsj board member, stressed the need for ICT companies in the province to work together.
"In New Brunswick we have multiple clusters of technology companies, unlike our counterparts in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island who tend to have single IT centres. Individually, each of these areas (in New Brunswick) lack a critical mass, and that cam make it challenging to attract the attention of multinationals, and to get on their radar. We are perceived as off the beaten track.
"However, when we speak as a united ICT industry then we can become a formidable force. We can achieve the critical mass. By working together, networking, and sharing information we can tap the full potential of ICT in regions across the province."
Reach our reporter malik.khalid@nbpub.com |
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