KOLOK enters hardware distribution market

Hosts high-profile Samsung Open Dealer Day

South African ICT distributor, KOLOK SA has entered the hardware market with a proverbial bang, confirming its partnership with some of the world’s leading hardware vendors which will now be available to its partner network across the country and parts of Africa.

Underscoring its hardware drive, the distributor’s recent high-profile Samsung Open Dealer Day hosted at its head office in Ormonde, Johannesburg, featured a number of Samsung flagship products – now available from KOLOK – such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphones and tablets, ATIV range of notebooks and MFPs. Security software partner, Kaspersky was also on hand to demonstrate its bundled solutions to attendees.

KOLOK – part of the Bidvest group of companies – has for a number of years been one of the country’s leading distributors of consumer and office products featuring an entrenched partner network and strong support infrastructure. The move into the hardware distribution marketplace therefore represents KOLOK’s next evolutionary step, adhering to both market and customer needs.

“KOLOK has over the years built a very strong and loyal partner network. It therefore makes complete business sense to usher in a new era with the distribution of leading hardware products by world-class vendors,” says Allan Thompson, MD of KOLOK SA.

“We have invested a great deal in building a strong offering which will be supported by an experienced and dedicated hardware distribution team. We hope to within the next six months establish ourselves as bona fide player in a very competitive market.”

Commenting on the hardware distribution partnership with KOLOK, Mike van Lier, Business Leader for IT Solutions at Samsung SA says: “KOLOK features a dedicated hardware division that will certainly benefit our respective business going forward. They have truly made the investment into moving their hardware distribution forward and by their additional offering of technical support and training they are definitely a viable channel partner for us.”

KOLOK’s hardware division features over 20 years of hardware distribution experience and is headed by Esna-May Hattingh. “We are no doubt playing in a very competitive if not somewhat saturated market. With this in mind we are offering our partners products that drive real value add and meet very real customer demands.

“A good example is bundling Kaspersky security solutions with hardware such as Samsung which in turn saves on additional software expenditure and ensure that the devices are protected from the get go. Furthermore, Samsung printers feature extended onsite warranties.

“We are working very hard to stay one step ahead which in turn differentiates our partners and their respective business offerings,” says Hattingh.

Apart from its head office in Johannesburg, KOLOK features branches across the country which includes Limpopo, Polokwane, KwaZulu/Natal, Bloemfontein and the Eastern and Western Cape. Furthermore, KOLOK has offices in Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia and also distributes into various other African countries.

The SA branch managers – all attending the Samsung Open Dealer Day – were unanimous in their enthusiastic support of the new hardware direction which they believe will greatly benefit their business into the various regions which all have their own set of challenge and needs. “We are offering a one-stop for products and services,” was the general consensus.

The following Samsung hardware products are now available from KOLOK:
• Printers;
• Notebooks (includes the new ATIV range);
• Monitors;
• Tablets; and
• Smartphones.