Business Connexion Namibia scoops Acer Africa Reseller of the Year award for 2009

BUSINESS Connexion Namibia was awarded the Acer reseller of the year at a glamorous ceremony in Athens, Greece.

Ferdi Graupe, Managing Director of Business Connexion Namibia, says: “We are extremely proud to receive this prestigious award as it recognises our commitment and loyalty towards the Acer brand. In 2010, we as Business Connexion Namibia are entering the 20th year of Acer product distribution in Namibia and the quality, excellent supply chain and support structures offer our clients in Namibia excellent value of ownership. I can certainly say that there is much to admire and take note in Acer’s quick march up the global scale of computer manufacturers.”

Taiwan-based Acer has been one of the shining stars on the personal computer scene for some years now and they’ve just recently taken over the number two spot in overall computer sales worldwide from competitors Dell. That is all computers including desktops, notebooks and netbooks.

According to Graham Braum, Country Manager Africa and Levant, Acer is “very close” to taking over the number one spot from HP and Acer aims to take the throne in 2011 in terms of the mobile PC segment.

“Acer’s notebooks are doing even better in our region – Middle East and Africa – where they are ranked number one,” he announced.

Three years ago Acer embarked on their multi-brand strategy, taking on board big brands, including Packard Bell (acquired in 2008), Gateway (acquired in 2007), and eMachines (also acquired in 2007, through the acquisition of Gateway).

Increasing the product range has enabled Acer to reach a broad spectrum of customers and ensures they cater to all PC, notebook and netbook requirements, strengthening their market share. Braum explains that the driving force behind Acer is its will to empower through technology, and bring the latest technologies available to their customers in all forms.

“We’re focused on what the customers want. So whatever technology is available, we partner that with the right product. We ask our customers what they are looking for,” he says.

It is clear from Acer and other companies that what customers are increasingly demanding is mobility.

Braum said that approximately 220 million notebooks are sold worldwide out of the 400 million total PCs sold. In terms of mobile phones, Braum explained that in the region of 1.2 billion units were sold worldwide with 270 million of those being smartphones.

“We can estimate that there is a combined market of about 500 million units of ‘internet centric products’. Netbooks contribute about 15% of the total notebook market, and this is expected to increase to around 25% in 2012, where it will stabilise.

“Windows 7, launched by Microsoft, will be driving consumer demand for the foreseeable future,” said Braum.

“The business segment will follow suit being more careful in their investments, it will take them a while longer to fully embrace Windows 7.”

According to Braum, whatever problems or “deficiencies” that were present in Windows Vista are not present in Windows 7. It will bring a “better customer experience,” he said.

An exciting new application being offered by Windows 7 is touch capability, which is built-in to the Operating System (OS). This is something that Acer will take full advantage of in both desktop and notebook computers.

“Windows 7”, he continued, “also brings better performance and new functionality to the mobile computing segment, which in turn offers exciting opportunities for Acer.”