Technology Reseller - v14 2018

technolog y reseller.co.uk 19 +44 (0) 20 3301 6000 voiceflex.com Find out more, contact us on [email protected]   FCA WebRTC Enhancing your website with real-time communications    Record sales growth for Probrand Value added reseller Probrand is celebrating record sales growth of 22% in the first six months of 2018 and a 9% rise in profits. CEO Peter Robbins attributes the company’s success to a transformation programme, including the merger of its IT reseller and cloud & managed IT services businesses in January 2017, and the launch of an online marketplace that connects buyers of IT products and services with more than 2,500 brands from distributors and vendors. The marketplace saves users time and money via live price and stock updates, price comparison across suppliers, visibility of personalised and special bid discounts, and drop shipping direct to buyers. Robbins said: “With customers changing how they discover and buy, reflected in the rise of B2B marketplaces, we are half-way through our plan to remain relevant, and early results are very positive. Our platform is providing a materially different digital IP, delivering market differentiation, attracting new customers we otherwise would not have engaged and unlocking future scale out into international geographies.” He added: “We have rapidly grown our transactional base with integration into mainstream ERP systems and third party communities, winning much larger run rate and contracted spend from bigger organisations. Sales of cloud and our managed IT services have also grown by 25% year-on-year, as have digital services, improving overall margin and profit for the period.” Midshire staff take to the road – virtually National IT services provider Midshire took part in a virtual coast-to-coast bike race on August 24 to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The company’s Stockport and West Bromwich offices battled head-to-head in a 145-mile challenge on static-spin bikes donated by Life Leisure, a Midshire customer. About 50 employees took turns cycling for 15 minutes until the race was finished, with each participant raising a minimum of £15 for the British Heart Foundation. A raffle and the sale of healthy treats raised additional funds for the charity. www.midshire.co.uk Queen’s Award for Sustainability The Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire was given the inside track on Commercial’s hydrogen-enabled delivery fleet, solar-powered bike shed and other sustainability initiatives when she visited the business services specialist’s Cheltenham HQ to present brother and sister co-founders Arthur and Simone Hindmarch with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. Dame Janet Trotter was also given a tour of the Commercial Foundation social enterprise, which focuses on empowering disadvantaged young people with work readiness skills. www.commercial.co.uk