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Says Wally Beelders , NEC XON Executive : Communications Solutions : “ Our parent company , NEC Corporation , has held Cisco Gold Partner status for over 20 years , showcasing its dedication to Cisco technologies . The new distinction sets NEC XON apart as a prominent Cisco Gold Partner in its own right , building on a longstanding relationship .”

Brian Tarr , Cisco Business Unit Executive at NEC XON , emphasises the importance of this achievement , stating : “ Cisco Gold partner status is vital for us to compete effectively in the enterprise technology landscape in South Africa . Every large enterprise ’ s IT infrastructure features a substantial Cisco component . Without the appropriate Cisco certification , it ’ s difficult to participate meaningfully in either the enterprise or public sector spaces .”

“ At Cisco , we strongly believe in the power of partnerships in driving technological innovation and meeting evolving customer needs ,” says Smangele Nkosi , General Manager at Cisco South Africa .

NEC XON brings two key differentiators to the South African enterprise networking market : access to global resources and a mature local delivery framework with strong systems integration execution capability .

Tarr elaborates on these differentiators , explaining : “ Our access to global expertise enables us to leverage vertical industryspecific skills , built over two decades of experience . This includes collaboration with NEC ’ s global entities , across EMEA , Asia and Latin America , all of which also enjoy Cisco Gold partner status . Our engineers are certified on multiple technologies , and our 25-year NEC , Cisco relationship has led to the establishment of global centres of excellence .”

In addition to global capabilities , NEC XON ’ s mature local delivery framework has garnered recognition from Cisco ’ s auditors . Tarr notes : “ Our mature delivery framework , from initiation to delivery and support , positions us as trusted advisers . We emphasise proper processes and procedures to ensure successful deployments , leading to customer satisfaction , loyalty and longlasting relationships .”

Furthermore , NEC XON ’ s extensive systems integration capability sets it apart . Tarr emphasised , “ We are an SI , not just a sales organisation . Our 25-year project management and integration history in multi-vendor environments makes us exceptionally adept at multi-domain integration across vendors . In the network and communication arena , our capabilities are a crucial differentiator .”

This Cisco Gold Partner certification strengthens NEC XON ’ s position in the South African and African markets , enabling it to compete effectively with traditional industry players . It provides enhanced customer credibility , unlocks new revenue streams , and expands its reach into enterprise and public sector markets .

Beelders concludes : “ This certification empowers us to be more aggressive in the public sector space , unlock new markets , and actively seek new opportunities where we were previously unable to participate . NEC XON is committed to being a multi-vendor , customer-centric organisation , poised to deliver innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of our clients .” •

Brian Tarr , Cisco Business Unit Executive at NEC XON ( L ) and Wally Beelders , NEC XON Executive : Communications Solutions

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