Healthy relationship with channel partners is ladder to success

Intro: Having achieved accolades form partners for their trusted work and approach, Softnet Mega Trends formerly known as Softnet Infosys has seen a major growth in their business and has achieved a turnover of approximately 18 crore. Working on the principles of building healthy relationship with channel partners, Rakesh Khurana, Director, Softnet Mega Trends tells Bhawna Satsangi the mantra for success and their approach to the SMB.

What is the present focus of Softnet infosys?

Softnet Megatrends Pvt. Ltd. (formerly Softnet Infosys) is presently focusing on providing a wide variety of Licensed software & software solutions to its customer base spread all across India. In addition to providing regular customized software from companies like Microsoft, Adobe, Symantec, McAfee, Oracle, Corel, Quickheal, Kaspersky etc. we have a huge focus on providing third party software and software solutions to our customers.

Which are the verticals you are targeting?

Our main focus is to sell through channel partners across India. We have a direct presence in Delhi and Haryana and soon we are opening branch offices in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. We have an active channel of more than 250 partners pan India and a total of more than 1500 partners spread all across India. We are targeting channels and SMB with our solutions.

In which verticals do you see potential for your business?

We are getting more and more engaged with channel partners who are into solution based selling. We get ourselves engaged with the partner from the very beginning and play an important role in understanding end user’s requirement, working out an optimal and economical solution comprising of customized software and lot of third party tools and then wherever possible get principal’s help in implementing the solutions. We offer complete solution to the end user. SMB is the potential sector for us as it is a growing market.

What is your go to market strategy?

We spread maximum awareness on the use and benefits of using genuine software. We provide the customers a credible and authentic source for software and software services and to be able to continuously add value to the customers by providing them quality software solutions at the most competitive prices.

Where is the growth coming from?

Main formula for growth lies in direct engagement with principals for a maximum range of products. Building healthy relationship with both the principals and the channel partners is the mantra for success for us. We are providing a huge range of genuine/ licensed software under one roof and working in close association with channel partners and end user’s thereby building confidence and credibility and thus inviting repeated business opportunities. Honesty is the key to growth for any engagement and relationship.

In which cities you have your reach?

We can easily boast of a pan India reach. However our maximum focus is in states like Haryana, Punjab, Gujrat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Orrisa, Parts of West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.

Do you see potential in tier2 and 3 cities?

There is a huge and growing potential in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Although the distributors are becoming more and more active in these cities but still there is a huge potential for us as we have an old relationship with the partners. Moreover we offer a variety of software and software solutions thus acting as a one stop shop for the software needs of the channel partners.

Additionally we offer flexible credit terms depending upon case to case basis and moreover we aim at providing complete software solutions to the end user’s through our authorized channel partners and we work as a team.

How is the market for your solutions?

There is a huge market for solution based selling. Over the years the focus has shifted from ordinary selling to solution based selling. In today’s complex architecture the end user’s aim at getting complete solutions involving various software products and services and thus prefer to work with those partners who have a good experience in providing software solutions. Softnet have more than 16 years of experience in providing software solutions to a huge base of corporate, government and channel customers.

What are the challenges you face in business?

The main challenges apart from decline in business queries, that most of the businesses are facing these days is payment uncertainity and extended credit terms. There is acute payment shortage in the industry and even old and trusted names are defaulting on payments. At times our finance team has to work very hard to keep up our policy of being regular and honest and payments to distributors.