These are rapidly changing times. January 1, 2020 heralded the arrival of a decade that will see us fully embrace 5G, artificial intelligence, multi-cloud and edge computing. The introduction of these, and other, new technologies offers up many opportunities – but also an almost equal number of complex challenges. For those of us in the IT industry, this means we need to be more prepared than ever to help our customers successfully navigate this constantly changing landscape.

Being seen as a trusted partner has never been more important. Our customers need a reliable advisor to deliver business critical services and support them as they embrace the process of digital transformation.

As the CEOs of industry giants make plans to take advantage of the rapidly growing power of data, they will invest heavily in next level automation, machine learning and increasingly more powerful hardware. We must be there when this happens.

This is why it’s so important for companies to understand the benefits of buying through a metal tier Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partner. So many still use resellers without first checking their status with the manufacturers (Acer, Dell, Lenovo, HP and so on). There are a number of very real risks inherent with this practice, the biggest of which that the equipment is not guaranteed to perform as well – or even as correctly – as an OEM product. Yet, because they are often seen to be cheaper than OEM parts, they are frequently the preferred choice.

The truth, however, is that companies would actually get far better pricing if they partnered with resellers who are in turn partnered with the OEM. The reason for this is simple:

Thanks to the economies of scale, OEM products are significantly cheaper to produce. In addition, you have the advantage of being able to have best-of-breed components built into your system.

Of course, there are many other reasons why buying through a metal tier OEM partner makes so much sense. Let’s take a look:

Benefits Of OEM Equipment

• Distribution and availability: OEM’s have globally distributed supplier networks.
• Quality and reliability: You can rely on the quality and reliability of trusted OEM products, and count on their high standards and strict quality requirements, as well as excellent product expertise.
• Durability: Inherent in the quality of the products is their durability. This is why, although they may be perceived to be expensive when compared to non-OEM parts, they actually work out cheaper because they last longer.

Benefits Of Partnering With OEM Metal Tier Partners

• Increased access to new markets, meaning more, and frequently better, product offering.
• Time and cost of development is reduced.
• Highly level of professionalism.
• World-wide sourcing.
• Working with someone who intimately understands what your business does and what it needs – now and in the future.
• The security of warranties and guidance throughout the installation process.
• References, and an established product history.

Digital Generation is privileged to enjoy close working relationships with almost 200 global technology manufacturers and suppliers, including leading brands like Acer, Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Samsung, to name but a few. We are also an Apple strategic partner through our relationship with Core Distribution, the sole Apple distributor in South Africa.

Many of our vendor partnerships go back over 15 years, resulting in a level of trust and reliability that translates to maximum peace of mind for our clients. We are able to place orders directly with most manufacturers, ensuring that when you purchase your products or solutions through DG, you get the best possible service and pricing.