Tech Data forms KM unit
Tech Data (Clearwater, FL), one of the world's largest high-tech distributors, is renaming its Workflow, Imaging and Document Management (WIDM) business unit in order to tap into the growing knowledge management market. The new Knowledge Management Unit, led by business development manager Bob Larrivee, will offer hardware and software for workflow, imaging, document management, data warehousing, Internet/intranet products and messaging groupware. The new business unit will employ specially-trained business development representatives for on-site sales consultation, and a specially trained inside sales staff. Tech Data is also planning regional knowledge management seminars and receptions at industry events in order to bring together resellers and vendors of knowledge management products. With this commitment to KM, Tech Data is answering a demand from integrators and resellers for products that fit within a KM system, according to senior VP of sales Tim Curran. "Knowledge management represents an exciting new business opportunity for our customers." Larrivee believes that this new initiative "will provide Tech Data's customers with the support they need to succeed in offering knowledge management solutions."
Raimund Wasner of The Rheinner Group (Hingham, MA) says that other channel providers won't immediately feel the heat from this announcement. "Tech Data sells primarily to VARs and integrators, the others sell directly to end users," he said. "It will be interesting," he added, "to see the response they get from suppliers. Ironically, I would expect the positive impact to be greater on end-users than on VARs and integrators." Wasner adds that Tech Data's success in developing the VAR and integrator document management channel ("they have done stupendous job") will help them make the transition to KM. "A lot of KM is software, most of DM is hardware," he said. "Success in KM depends greatly on hardware and software company support."