Stamina needed for channel

Toshiba Australia was founded in 1975 as a joint venture with EMI and became Toshiba Australia in 1978. This is comprised of the following business divisions: Information Systems Division, Electronic Imaging Division, Medical Division, Research and Development, and Corporate Services.

Toshiba International Corporation Pty Ltd is the Oceania operation for Industrial Products, Systems & Services and Power Systems & Services.

Toshiba TEC Australia provides sales and support of retail information systems, barcode printing and identification technology, and weighing and labelling solutions.

“The Information Systems Division (ISD) markets notebooks, projectors and other mobile computing products and accessories to Australia and New Zealand. Recently our division has also restructured to include the Toshiba audio visual products, such as HD DVD and our Regza HD TVs,” said Eade.

The focus of ISD is on mobile computing and audio visual products and it markets its products to the home, school and business markets through both the business channel and mass merchant retail partners, according to Eade.

“Our AV products will be sold through specialist hi-fi and department stores and mass merchant partners.”

Eade said Toshiba is unique among vendors, as it is completely channel-centric.

“I plan on continuing to work with the channel to further strengthen their mobile computing experience. We have seen some great results from such programs as our KiP (Knowledge is Power) training and TargetBusters that help broaden knowledge and reward the channel.”

Eade said he will also continue to work with his team to help the channel differentiate its products, add value and improve margins and their overall business with Toshiba.

Having experienced life at Toshiba in both Australia and New Zealand, Eade is well positioned to comment on synergies between the neighbouring countries.

“The two countries as entities are regarded as having very different characteristics. This includes end-user demographics, our reseller channel and of course the overall competitive environment,” said Eade.

“With this, the strategies more often than not are very different. That said, we make time to formally share thinking, and to ensure we understand our intended outcomes remain specific.”

Eade explained that the two countries are treated as separate, however there are some commonalities, with Toshiba’s New Zealand country manager, Gary Wicks, working closely with Eade to share strategies.

Looking forward, Eade broke down the major trends that will affect Toshiba ISD — growth in the SMB market; development of wireless infrastructure; continued adoption of mobile technology in schools and deployment of wireless technology across all Australian businesses; while Toshiba believes that mobile computing will become the leading client platform globally by 2010.

“We work closely with our channel which is refected by our channel-centric strategies making us the leader in mobile computing. We will continue to build on this strength and work with our channel base with particular development in the second tier channel that supports the growth in SMB,” he said.

Eade added in the future Toshiba would like to see the channel develop and become experts in mobile computing for greater profit and service to customers.

channel for hardware needed stamina