General28.06.2012

Xerox brand making strong headway in SA despite printer market decline

Sales of Xerox A4 laser printers and multi-function devices grew by a stunning 71% during the first quarter of 2012, as compared with the same period in 2011. This growth is all the more remarkable given the fact that the total laser printer market in South Africa shrank by some 28%, according to IDC figures.

“Xerox’s growth in the A4 laser segment is important not only in itself but because it shows our strategy of gaining brand share in both the consumer and small to medium-sized business space is starting to pay off,” says Peter Vieira, divisional manager: Xerox Channels at Bytes Document Solutions, the authorised distributor for Xerox in South Africa. “We are already well established in the enterprise space, and are aiming to achieve similar success in these additional market segments.”

Vieira attributes the growth to three factors. “We have increased our range and depth of channel partners to allow us to reach new segments of the consumer and small to medium-sized business markets, including people who had previously not owned printers. Xerox is developing the value-for-money products they are looking for, backed up by resellers that hold adequate stock and offer good support. All of these factors deliver the kind of experience that builds brand loyalty to both our channel and end-user customers,” he says. “A great team at Bytes Document Solutions is driving the whole process.”

During 2011, Xerox sold some 17 400 A4 laser units in the South African market. This represents a growth of 51% as compared with the previous year. Many of these are first-time buyers and are thus, says Vieira, beginning to build a relationship with the brand and its service offering.

“For first-time buyers, these devices represent a relatively low investment and so they give us the opportunity to gain new customers, and start building their confidence in the Xerox brand,” says Vieira. “We have seen rapid and sustained growth over the past two years, with total sales in excess of 33 000 units. We see all of these customers as potential brand ambassadors for Xerox’s entire product range.”

Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter