For IT resellers, this distributor has evolved into a one-stop-shop offering a product range that stretches from its former core component business to notebooks and netbooks, peripherals and more recently consumer electronics.
Synnex's market ranges from small and medium resellers to system integrators, retailers, and value-added resellers - so broad, in fact, that in the words of the distributor's Australian CEO Kee Ong, as long as they are in the IT business we want to know them".
But the distributor has both feet on the ground, determined to provide flexibility and a service level to resellers that cuts through the red tape around common irritants such as warranty returns and freight.
"Synnex is extremely selective of its partners and portfolio offerings, representing only 35 vendors," says Kee Ong (pictured). "We take the time to really understand our customers' businesses, their challenges and product offerings so our approach is very specialised and focused."s
Synnex nurtures the brands it represents, Ong says. It has to, "because the company has a limited number of brands to talk to resellers about". So, its sales team focuses on value-add selling and one of Synnex's key weapons is its after sales service, says Ong.
"We have a flexible ordering system and can assert multiple ways for the customer to trade with us. They can give us a call, order by fax or email or they can order online," he says.
Then the firm's prized delivery system swings into action. Synnex offers two deliveries a day, a relative rarity for any distributor in this business.
If resellers order in the morning and their location is within a 50km radius the order is likely to be delivered in the afternoon. Goods ordered in the afternoon will be delivered by the following morning.
Synnex has a fleet of nearly 40 trucks which it owns, controls and maintains. It is, Ong says, "a key advantage". "We are unique in Australia. We have our own trucks to do our own deliveries, which provides a direct point-to-point supply service to the reseller and retailer."
Another benefit is that the distributor is less reliant on outsourced delivery costs and services. It also insulates Synnex against fluctuating fuel costs.
"In the last two years when petrol prices were going up sharply we did not increase our freight cost to our customers. It was one of the cost savings we provided; we understood that the market was tough enough," says Ong.
"From the customer's point of view, they get their delivery which will ease pressure on their capital."
Customers still have the choice to send their own courier or pick up their order from one of four Synnex warehouses.
Never to waste a trip, Synnex drivers will pick up warranty returns at the same time as they deliver -- a service the distributor seeks to make as straightforward as possible.
"We set ourselves a tough target of turning around RAs (return authorisations) within 72 hours. In the last four years our hit rate has been over 80 percent consistently. We are continuously looking at ways to improve our service to customers so they have replacement stock in a very short time," says Ong.
Ong joined MiTAC in his home town of Taipei in 1989 as a graduate software programmer working in the research and development division of the group's head quarters. It wasn't long until Ong moved up the ranks.
"I got the opportunity to move to a different role, a marketing role, and I was stationed in Europe for over four years. I did product planning in Europe before I moved to Australia.
"They needed to set up teams of product marketing [in Australia]. I was invited to join the team at that time to head up product marketing," says Ong.
Ong has worked for the Synnex-MiTAC Group for more than 20 years and in that time says he "done it all" -- from software programming to product marketing to dealing with logistics, services, production, and sales.
He joined Synnex in Australia in 1998 as product marketing manager and since 2006 has been in charge of operations in Australia and New Zealand.
In 1997 the Australian arm of PC builder MiTAC changed its business model, and the company was renamed MiTAC Australasia. It was in that year that Synnex opened for business in Australia in its current form, beginning as a components distributor -- familiar territory for the former manufacturer.
"We knew the component business inside and out, and of course it was our strength. So we started with component distribution," says Ong, who came across to Australia from a stint in Europe to help the company during its transition.
At the time Synnex had an office in Melbourne, a "tiny" office in Sydney and it had just set up the operation in Brisbane. A couple of years later it set up in Perth.
Ong says by accepting the role and relocating he was broadening his experience from a one-product manufacturer in the MiTAC days to a different type of business - distribution - which involves dealing with multiple brands.
From humble beginnings 10 years ago Synnex has grown to be one of the top two distributors in Australia today, Ong says. The company is "financially strong" and the economic downturn has not thwarted his plans for expansion, he says.
In fact, despite the current downturn Synnex is still hiring -- 10 more staff this year to join the additional 30 to 40 last year. "Of course the company has to grow," says Ong. "At this point we have more than 330 staff. It's a very exciting time for Synnex."
In terms of product it is growing its range and has moved from solely IT to the consumer electronics space, which so far has proven positive. Last year the distributor became the Microsoft Xbox fulfilment distie in Australia and Ong says there are several more partnerships on the horizon.
Last year Synnex outgrew its warehouses and began to look for larger premises. "Last year we didn't add more locations but we actually doubled the size of three locations in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. We relocated three warehouses in one year.
It was one of the most remarkable achievements we have done. Imagine relocating a big warehouse -- it's a big challenge," says Ong.
Synnex is continuing to look for key resellers to work, with regardless of size. To combat the downturn, Ong says Synnex offers resellers support via flexible credit services.
"We can approve credit requests from our customers within 24 hours as we don't rely on any support from insurance companies. All of these things have helped us to improve our customer service and efficiency," he says.
"Each case is different but we're able to review them in a very short time."
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