Striking a balance in technology
2007-08-05
From: www.acer.com.ph

In this day and age of break-neck speed in technological developments, it is quite important to strike a balance, whether at work or at play.

This is what Melody Tan dela Cruz, Managing Director of Premium Logic Computer Co., a premium provider of a full range of information technology (IT) products, views the local IT industry in general, its business, and its partnership with Acer (Philippines), Inc., a subsidiary of one of the world's top computer manufacturers.

When Premium Logic opened shop back in 1988, computers were still at the high-end of the price chain, plus computer literacy was a big challenge, so encouragement and education were needed to convince people that technology is a good thing to complement their lives. "Add to this is the fact that PCs and peripherals at that time were not user-friendly, so customer support was vital and customers needed a lot of spoon-feeding," explains dela Cruz.

But because of the convergence of modernization and widespread connectivity, plus the merging of cultural forces, backed by accelerating economic globalization and development of an effective and efficient wireless telecommunications infrastructure, the need for people to be constantly connected with each other spawned a new revolution. This revolution saw the emergence of IT products, not just computers but also personal digital assistants or PDAs and mobile phones, as vital tools to remain connected, whether via voice (telephony) or data (Internet, e-mail, chat, SMS).

However, this revolution presented a downside, says dela Cruz, particularly for a company like Premium Logic. "There were too many players, each one wooing the same set of consumers, and this brought about stiff competition resorting to price wars, hard selling, and other guerilla tactics, which is basically the recipe for a consumer's market. But despite resellers losing their margins, the demand for IT products will remain."

And this is where, she said, that the partnership with Acer comes in. She cited the alliance with Acer as a big boost to Premium Logic in terms of branding, support and growth. "Our relationship with them is really healthy. Their marketing efforts and their continuous study and understanding of local IT industry trends go a long way in boosting our business targets and helps us cope with the demand," says dela Cruz.

One thing that the company also liked about Acer, she said, is that it is a brand backed by solid product support, which would always be in discriminating and discerning consumers' top-of-mind. Thus, that confidence built in each Acer product, dela Cruz says, makes it easy for companies like Premium Logic to close the deal with potential buyers.

Aside from that, she said that Acer Philippines knows how to strike that important balance in the fast-paced business of IT. "They know we also need a break once in a while . . . I love the incentive trips abroad. It motivates us to work even harder to reach our goals, with them on our side," she continued.

A brand like Acer can contribute to the development of the local IT industry, dela Cruz says. "Because of Acer's better pricing, continued quality and better sales and marketing support, it forces other brands to match or exceed them. The logical effect then is a boost in sales, better product awareness among consumers, and of course, greater demand for IT products."

And because of these attributes, Premium Logic will continue what dela Cruz says as its "win-win" and long-term partnership with Acer. She hailed the fact that their company is associated with a best-selling and stylish global brand like Acer. "Oh yes, we will continue on with Acer. That's a definite yes."