ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY opportunities . The increasing demand for seamless Wi-Fi and connectivity at home and for home offices is where our forward-looking hi-tech products come into play , as this is the very problem they have been designed to solve . Moreover , we believe that a business should invest in the right tools and technology to support its hybrid teams efficiently .
At TP-Link , we are clearly defining who the policy applies to and the employees who are not required to work from the office are being permitted to do so while those who may be indispensable at the workplace are being called in . Our after-sales support remains as prompt as ever and we are remotely assisting customers as we were before the pandemic . TP-Link is committed to serving consumers across the Middle East with superior quality products and services that make their lives more seamless and comfortable . Despite challenging market conditions in MEA at present , the company is excited about the opportunity that SMB products are creating .
Aside from the COVID-19 pandemic , what would you cite as the most challenging issue that TP-Link together with your channel partners faced last year and in 2021 ?
In hindsight , this issue is somehow related to COVID-19 only – the entire supply chain was disturbed and the challenge was the raw material stock unavailability and the hike in shipping fares . The issue of stock unavailability can be attributed to the fact that the entire transport sector and also the availability of raw material was disrupted during the lockdowns imposed across the globe . As a manufacturer of networking devices and global provider , we know how to tackle the challenges to develop a solution for our partners . We wanted our partners not to feel overburdened because we have the ability to support them . So , we decided not to increase the freight rates as added support . It is vital that TP-Link partners feel that they can not only accelerate their
The increasing demand for seamless Wi-Fi and connectivity at home and for home offices is where our forward-looking hitech products come into play , as this is the very problem they have been designed to solve
operations but also enhance their profitability and bottom line with us in 2021 . This year , a number of networking manufacturers faced a shortage of chipset supply , but we have been pioneering the industry for 25 years now and have a strategic plan in place to handle the situation in the near future .
Looking ahead , what will be TP-Link ’ s focus in 2021 and how are you preparing your channel partners for the year ahead ?
The demand for high performing business networking and surveillance solutions is increasing exponentially in the SMB sector across the Middle East . We are encouraging partners to develop some specialisation in this fast-growing , essential market sector . TP- Link has launched a new video surveillance brand , VIGI , as a strategic move to enter the surveillance field .
Catering to the diverse demands for security and privacy protection , VIGI leverages its strong research and development ( R & D ), production capacity and in-house manufacturing to offer customers a complete security solution to reduce internal and external theft and ensure staff safety and improve services . We are excited to announce that we have a complete range of network and surveillance solutions . The market conditions in the region may be challenging at the moment , but the future of the regional networking industry is bright . For the regional economy to thrive , SMBs across industries need to be supported by effective technology solutions and continuous business innovation .
At TP-Link , we believe that a vibrant SMB market is key to the sustainable economic growth and development of the Middle East region . TP-Link wants to encourage its channel partners across the Middle East to take advantage of the dynamic opportunities and business needs that small businesses seek in the wireless networking
INTELLIGENT
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS TECH CHANNELS Issue 39 21