Making his first visit to Tech Data Canada, Bob Dutkowsky tried Tuesday to immerse himself in every aspect of the operations, from meeting the executive team and staff, touring the warehouse, configuration centre, visiting the new $500,000 Cisco Advanced Technology Centre.
He also managed to squeeze in time with CDN.
The Canadian trip is part of his global trot to all places Tech Data to learn more about each business unit and geography.
After about 150 days on the job, Dutkowsky has had to handle several deals, challenges and issues.
There was the deal to help troubled NexInnovations, the hiring former Ingram Micro Canada and Lenovo Canada boss Murray Wright to run the Americas for the distributor and a realignment of its specialized business units.
Topping the list, however, was taking over from high-tech pioneer Steve Raymund.
“I am flattered to walk in same footprints as Steve Raymund. He really invented this IT distribution industry nearly 30 years ago. Steve has forgotten more about IT distribution than I will ever know,” Dutkowsky said.
As for Wright joining Tech Data, the move was one of many key executive appointments made at the distributor since Dutkowsky took over.
“Murray brings another set of knowledge and skills,” he said. “We have added another set of executives at the company to bring that process improvement mentality. It is important to note that we are not throwing the baby out with the bath water. Tech Data works very efficiently around the world. But we are committed to improving everything we do. Murray, with his skill set, has already made an impact and will continue to help us improve.”
One of the most daunting tasks Tech Data had to face late last year was what to do with NexInnovations, one of the top revenue producing solution providers in Canada and the U.S.
Dutkowsky said the help Tech Data Canada offered the partner was a good way to deal with a company that needed court protection.
“It was an innovative approach of changing the way IT distribution works. Whether that exact relationship between Tech Data and NexInnovations can be duplicated somewhere else, I do not know. The idea of using our credit capacity and our logistics infrastructure as a way of adding business value to the market place and creating new business opportunities for Tech Data that is the kind of innovative approach that we like to take,” he said.
As for the distributor’s internal moves, last week it added a printing division to its specialized business units, while rearranging several of those units. The AIDC/RFID and Physical Security special business unit, for example, will now be part of the Networking unit. The components unit will now be part of the Apple Advantage unit, while the professional A/V unit drops into the peripherals special business unit.
“The business units reflect a customer’s desire to have a more specialized Tech Data,” said Dutkowsky.
“Specialization brings skills transfer. It brings knowledge and allows our customers to penetrate markets more aggressively with the knowledge we bring. It also allows us to penetrate new business markets more aggressively. So the business units are an important element we use. The printing unit we formed last week was a combination of feedback we got from business partners and customers who asked us to be more focused on printers,” he said.
The printing division will offer resellers printers, of course, manufacturer’s service agreements and warranties along with a strategic integrated sales method for consumables and high margin add-on products.
For more on Bob Dutkowsky see CDN’s upcoming March 9th edition.
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