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By: Adam Grant
Microcel has become the Canadian distributor for LuxMobile, a maker of licensed products like phone cases, headphones, and laptop skins that feature celebrity branding.
Some of the celebrities represented in the company's product lines include Lady Gaga, Bruce Lee, and Marilyn Monroe.
"Microcel is thrilled to begin a partnership with such an innovative company," says Rick Henry, Owner, CEO, Microcel. "The breadth of unique brands that Luxmobile manufactures stems from their understanding of what customers desire. Luxmobile understands current trends and has introduced new designs and variety of brands to fulfill customer needs."
"We are very excited about our exclusive partnership with Microcel for Canada," adds Wasim Khaled, President, CEO, LuxMobile Group. "Microcel understands the needs of their customers, and have a track record of providing exciting options for the Canadian mobile accessory market. We feel they are the perfect partner for some of LuxMobile's fashion forward mobile accessory portfolio."
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Microcel Corporation has announced its appointment as Canadian distributor for ZAGG Inc.. The Newmarket, ON-based distributor will sell ZAGG products to both the retail and carrier channels.
ZAGG markets a broad array of accessories for tablets and smartphones. These include InvisibleSHIELD screen protectors; many different skins and cases; Bluetooth keyboards; car and home USB chargers; and cleaning products.
"ZAGG is excited to work with Microcel to distribute our award-winning products to consumers throughout Canada," said Jarok Greenwell, ZAGG's Sales Manager for Canada, in a prepared statement. "We feel this relationship will help us serve the Canadian market effectively and efficiently."
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By: Gordon Brockhouse
Everyone knows that looks can be deceiving, and the headquarters of Microcel Corporation is a case in point. Located in an industrial plaza in Newmarket, ON, north of Toronto, the building houses two floors of office space, plus a large warehouse at the back. There's nothing about the non-descript exterior to indicate that a leading-edge technology distributor operates within.
From its formation 21 years ago, Microcel has been involved in what is probably the fastest-moving technology sector: wireless. During that time, it's outgrown four buildings, and moved into progressively larger facilities, all located in Newmarket.
Today, Microcel employs 45 people, and distributes a wide range of wireless accessories. These include OEM products from BlackBerry, Motorola, Samsung and Sony-Ericsson; and aftermarket brands such as Belkin, BlueAnt, iGo, Plantronics, Speck and SuperTooth. Recently, the company started branching out of its wireless niche into other related technology areas, like PC networking and HDTV.
Microcel's activities go beyond distribution. For example, it is responsible for global packaging of BlackBerry products.
As is typical, Microcel's Owner/President manifests his company culture. Rick Henry is easy to follow in conversation, because ideas flow naturally, rather than jumping all over the place. Afterward, you realize that you've covered a lot of ground in a short time. He's clearly excited about his company and the industry it serves; but he manifests his enthusiasm in an orderly fashion, moving methodically from A to B, combining the dynamism of a marketer with the precision of an engineer. This isn't surprising, given his company's history.
Helsinki, We've Got a Problem
Interestingly for an industry composed mostly of young companies, Microcel has been operating almost since the beginning of cellular telephony in Canada. It was 1989, five years after Henry graduated from the technology program at Toronto's Seneca College. Henry's employer had a serious problem: thousands of non-functioning cell phones.
Two years previously, Henry had joined Nokia as its second Canadian employee. This followed a short stint at Across Canada Mobile, the first independent service centre for Cantel, one of Canada's original cell carriers. A Finnish company best known at the time for tires and footwear, Nokia was selling mobile phones under the Mobira brand. The Finnish-made phones occupied a premium position in the emerging Canadian market.
"We could not compete with lower-end phones," Henry recalls. "Motorola and some of the other players were getting a lot of that business. Nokia wanted to compete in that area."
Nokia joined forces with Tandy Radio Shack, which was sourcing phones from a Korean manufacturer and selling them under the Realistic brand in Canada and the U.S. "They were very similar to our transportable phones, but were only half the price," Henry says. "We needed access to those smaller phones.
"We ended up getting the Korean factory to manufacture phones under the Nokia brand," he continues. "It was the first time the Nokia brand had ever been used on a phone. We checked the factory to make sure the quality was good, and started ordering tens of thousands. Then the phones came over, and we started having all kinds of problems."
The solution involved retuning circuits inside the phones by changing surface-mount components; but there were no facilities in Canada that could do this. "It was a real problem for myself and our company president," Henry says. "In the end, we decided that I would form an outside company and hire technicians who could do this service work. That's how Microcel was formed in 1989."
During Microcel's early days, Henry continued to work for Nokia. In addition to heading up the service division, he was involved in sales and support, product development, and marketing. "I really enjoyed what I was doing on the product development side," Henry says. "Even though Canada is a small country, we were influential with new phones, accessories and software. The challenge was that it was consuming a lot of my time. In the end, we decided that the best thing was for me to leave Nokia, join Microcel full-time, and work with Nokia on a consulting basis. For the next year and-a-half, we had a consulting contract developing Nokia phones and accessories with the team in Finland."
Meanwhile, Microcel's role had expanded beyond service into automotive programs. Even before Henry joined his company on a full-time basis, Microcel had hired a contract salesperson to act as liaison with 1,200 GM dealers.
Loud & Clear
Microcel's evolution into value-added distribution occurred a couple of years later. Henry had consulting contracts with Canadian Tire Corp. to help it get into wireless, and with Bell Mobility to help its dealers market accessories. "I realized that to do good, value-added consulting work for a carrier or retailer or even Nokia, I needed to be closer to what's going on in the field," Henry relates. "So I expanded into the distribution side of the business. The first thing we did was bring the Antenna Company into Canada."
This was a solution to a common problem: poor reception on phones being used inside cars. "From my technical background, I knew that with mobile and transportable phones, the antenna is very important," Henry says. "You can have a great network and a great phone, but if it's not seeing the signal, you have problems. We convinced the carriers and vendors on the importance of the antenna."
Over the next two years, Antenna Company products attained 98% marketshare in Canada. "Virtually every phone and car kit came with our antenna," Henry says. The pigtail antennas didn't just serve a technical function; they also had a marketing benefit. "You'd see Cantel and Bell Mobility logos on the antennas," Henry explains. "That was something we put together. Cantel jumped on initially. Bell wasn't quite sure of the value until their executives walked through some parking lots and saw the Cantel brand on antennas."
Microcel didn't just ship antennas to retailers; it also trained people to sell them. Henry estimates that 7,000 salespeople across Canada went through the Antenna Academy.
Meanwhile, Microcel ventured into other categories. Formed in the early 1990s, a division called Microcel Mobility Distribution Centre supplied Bell Mobility stores with a wide range of communications products, including cordless phones, fax machines, palm-top computers, two-way radios and paging accessories. "We launched Bell Mobility into all these areas. Eventually, it became Bell World, as we know it today."
Then in 1995, Microcel won a contract from Cantel to develop a line of branded wireless accessories, beating out 250 other vendors across North America. The process took a year, but Microcel retained this business for 11 years, during which Cantel became Cantel AT&T and ultimately Rogers Wireless. The company also developed branded accessories for Bell.
At the same time, phone manufacturers were approaching Microcel to develop OEM accessories. "Samsung was the first partner we brought in, and we still work with them today," Henry says. "Bell was buying direct from Samsung, but there were challenges in getting accessories like cases, chargers and hands-free devices. We expanded the program and supported it with marketing efforts across the country. It produced the largest attach rate that Bell had."
The arrangement expanded to include phone distribution when Rogers began carrying Samsung handsets. "Back then, Samsung had no bricks-and-mortar facilities for their phone division in Canada," Henry relates. "They needed a way to warehouse phones and sell them to Rogers. We expanded to distributing all their phones for three and-a-half years."
To support this activity, Microcel developed a secure Web portal for its customers, with links into Samsung's SAP enterprise system. The system, which could be accessed wirelessly, allowed authorized users from Samsung, Bell and Rogers to dial in from anywhere in the world. "We won a Bell technology award for this," Henry boasts. "It started off as a small-volume application, but grew to half a million phones a year, to thousands of locations. We were kitting the phones. If there were any software changes, we could handle that as well. At one time, we got 10,000 phones out in a couple of hours. Both companies were amazed we could do this."
The Complete Package
Along the way, Microcel added a packaging department, which handles not just Samsung products, but BlackBerry as well.
"When we started with BlackBerry five years ago, they just had white boxes," Henry says. "We were the exclusive distributor for Canada, and we designed our own clamshell packaging, as other distributors did in the U.S." In 2008, RIM decided it wanted a uniform package design for all its global markets. RIM liked the packaging Microcel had designed for the Canadian market, so it asked the company to design its global packaging.
Microcel came up with a design that uses 100% recycled materials, both for cardboard and plastics. But the pièce-de-résistance was the holo-coating covering the box. "It has the little flying bees that BlackBerry uses in its emblem," Henry explains. "If you put it under a 30x microscope, you can actually read ‘BlackBerry.' This process had never been utilized before. We've won three global awards from packaging associations."
The vacuum-forming company and cardboard-box manufacturer that make the packaging are both based in Ontario, but have international reach. The box company does work for large customers such as Proctor & Gamble. Microcel found them through a referral process. "The holo-coat technology was something our box partner had," Henry says, "but had never used it in North America. We were able to use it, and BlackBerry was very happy."
Microcel packages some BlackBerry products at its Newmarket facility, which can operate two shifts when necessary. "The product comes in here in bulk, and we package it up, and label any way they want," Henry elaborates.
And it will customize the package configurations to meet the needs of large retailers like Wal-Mart. "That's why we do as much as we can here, instead of outsourcing," Henry states.
Retail Friendly
As wireless has entered the mainstream, the business has migrated outward from wireless stores to CE retailers. This applies particularly to accessories. Carrier stores are more focused on activations, especially with new competitors entering the market; and the floor space for accessories is limited. "Five years ago, 70% of our business was on the carrier side and 30% on the retail side," Henry says. "That has now flipped, because retailers have the space to handle accessories."
A big difference between CE and carrier channels is timelines. "In the wireless business, things always seem to happen last-minute," Henry says. "Decisions on products like PCs and TVs may be made six months in advance. Retailers want to talk about Christmas promotions in the summer. On the wireless side, they may not be sure what phones and programs they're going to have until a month or two before."
Henry says Microcel accommodates retailers' planning needs in different ways. Given the timelines on which new phones are introduced, it's not always possible to plan accessories long in advance. But that doesn't mean long-range planning is impossible in wireless.
"Today almost every phone has Bluetooth, so we can plan promotions around Bluetooth products," Henry notes. "Or if the retailer wants to do some kind of case promotion or bundle, the question is just what phone it's going to be for. We can lock the concept of what we want to offer in advance."
To facilitate its move into CE channels, Microcel has hired people with CE experience, notably Tracey Ekerton, Director of Sales and Marketing. Before joining Microcel three years ago, Ekerton ran the consumer electronics program for Loblaw Companies Ltd.; and before that, she worked for Kodak Canada Inc. "Tracey has consumer electronics experience from both the manufacturing and sales/distribution side," Henry notes. "All our sales, marketing and product teams report to her."
The Loblaw connection is interesting, because Microcel is now supplying product to Loblaws as well as Shoppers Drug Mart, two mass merchants that have recently added wireless to their product portfolios.
Microcel deals with other large merchants as well, including Wal-Mart, Staples and Best Buy. The Best Buy connection has been in place for about five years. "When the BlackBerry took off at retail, we needed a line of accessories," recalls Gus Chow, Merchandising Manager at Best Buy Canada. "We migrated from there into Bluetooth headsets and in-car solutions. As our cellular accessory business grew, Microcel grew hand-in-hand with it."
Chow cites several benefits of dealing with Microcel. "Their expertise in packaging makes the product a lot friendlier at retail," he says. "They have strength in logistics. They can break down packages and give us the quantities we need."
He also appreciates that the relationship works because it's a partnership. "They're not just concerned with sell-in," Chow says. "They're concerned with sell-through. If a product isn't right for us, they'll say so. They're almost a second conscience."
Henry says Microcel works this way with all its customers. "With most of our customers, we can see their inventory," he elaborates. "Part of the responsibility of our sales team is to manage their customers' inventory. It's our job to make sure it's moving. Even if a purchase order is created, if it doesn't make sense because certain SKUs aren't moving through, it's our job to notify them."
Microcel's warehouse, which uses wireless scanning throughout, gets shipments out the day they're received, on a single shift. For some customers, Microcel ships to distribution centres. For others, it does drop shipments. For example in Canada, Microcel does drop shipments to 300 Staples locations.
Timing is Everything
In the fast-moving wireless field, adaptability and mobility are essential. "With the short life cycle of most devices, if you don't have accessories at launch or very close, you're better not to carry it," Henry says. "You have to get out early, especially if it's to a large retailer with 300 or 500 locations. And you want to be able to shut it down quickly and get the new products in."
So how does Microcel do all this? "Very detailed forecasting," Henry says. "Our sales team works with every customer by vendor and SKU to produce forecasts that run out three-to-six months. That feeds into a master forecasting plan that our purchasing manager and her team work on. We've very detailed, because customers' needs change constantly."
Purchasing decisions also involve gut instinct, Henry acknowledges. "With our experience, we give customers input on what we think will move with their demographic. But it's not a perfect science. Looking at history and trends is not enough. You need a good understanding of what's going on."
You also have to be willing to take risks and try new things out, which is what Microcel is doing. It's branching beyond wireless, into new product categories. Some are natural outgrowths. For example, it's now carrying iGo's PC chargers in addition to wireless products.
Another natural outgrowth is tablet accessories. Microcel is launching an iPad keyboard, and keeping a close watch on other tablet platforms.
Other lines such as iLuv represent a greater departure. "They have docking audio stations and other unique products that we haven't worked with before," Henry says. "And we're also looking at headsets for music." Another new line is Microvision compact LED pico projectors, which focus automatically using a laser.
But the most adventurous product is the Wireless Media Stick from a Calgary company called HSTi. It's a USB adapter that maps the location of all the music, image and video files on a home network. You start by putting the device into a USB port on every PC on your network, or on any other network devices with an USB port. When you're done, plug the Media Stick it into a USB port on the TV. The TV will play media files as if they were on the Media Stick. In fact, the Stick is pulling them off the computers on which they reside.
Henry believes lines like Microvision and HSTi represent a natural evolution for Microcel and its customers. "I've been going to the Consumer Electronics Show for 25 years," he says. "For the first time this year, I felt the focus wasn't all about television. It's starting to migrate to media solutions, and smartphones and tablets. How do you share media and information?
"We're continually trying to expand our value proposition," Henry continues. "The key challenge for our customers today is getting innovative products that can generate high turns and great margins. Our job is to bring in these products, and make sure they're moving at the stores."
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By: Christine Persaud
Microcel Corporation has been appointed a Canadian distributor for Trexta products, which includes leather and fabric accessories for various consumer electronics and wireless devices.
Headquartered in Turkey, Trexta is known for its innovative designs and fashionable lines that suit a diverse group of customers; from mobile phone cases designed for females, to hard shell cases emblazoned with country flags or sports paraphernalia. The company's products are also made to be durable, and all come with a lifetime limited warranty.
One of Trexta's newest lines consists of snap on covers made of high quality materials for Apple, BlackBerry, Nokia, and Samsung products.
"We are very pleased to begin a partnership with Trexta," says Sisian Boghossian, Product Manager at Microcel. "Their high quality and fashionable smartphone cases will allow consumers to customize their phones with leather options. Simple designs are no longer enough for consumers. They expect excitement, colour, fashion, and quality all in one. This defines Trexta."
"Trexta brings to the market 20 years of experience to create a line of unique cases and snap on covers with very high quality materials and craftsmanship," adds Eren Maral, General Manager at Trexta.
Trexta still deals directly with some accounts in Canada, as well as other distributors. For more information, contact Microcel toll-free at 1-800-565-9192.
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By: Adam Grant
Research In Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook has received FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 certification, making it the first tablet to be approved for deployment within U.S. federal government agencies.
The company says that no other tablet on the market has received this certification from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which is required under the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002.
"This certification demonstrates our continued commitment to meeting the needs of security-conscious organizations, and enables the U.S. federal government to buy with confidence knowing that the PlayBook meets their computing policy requirements for protecting sensitive information," says Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Security at RIM.
The PlayBook is being showcased this week in Washington, DC, at FOSE, the biggest federal government information technology conference in America. It has already been awarded Best in Show at the event, as well as the Best of FOSE honour in the Handheld Devices category.
This is some much needed good news for RIM, considering the negative press it's received this year as a result of its stock dropping over 50% in value.
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Omar El Akkad - The Globe and Mail
It’s tempting to think of tablets as primarily consumer-focused devices. After all, the default image of a tablet computer often involves someone playing Angry Birds or reading an eBook on a sleek, shiny iPad.
But in reality, some of the most enthusiastic tablet purchasers over the past year have been small and medium-sized businesses, who are using them to replace everything from the (paper) notebook to the (computer) notebook.
On Tuesday, Research In Motion will release its PlayBook tablet, perhaps the most business-focused mobile computer out there. The company hopes that features such as BlackBerry tethering (a feature that allows you to share the Internet connection of your smart phone with your tablet) and better security features will entice corporate customers to ditch the iPad.
Before looking at how companies are using devices such as the PlayBook, it’s worth noting just how many businesses are adopting the technology. According to a recent report by research firm TechAisle, small and medium-sized businesses are using almost 9 million tablets in the U.S. alone. Almost three-quarters of the businesses surveyed are using the devices to supplement, rather than replace their desktops and notebooks. Unsurprisingly, Apple’s iPad is the dominant platform, although the study suggests Android-powered tablets are also gaining prominence. In terms of industries, the two biggest early adopters are health care and financial services.
The way companies in those industries are using tablets points to how many other types of businesses will use them in the future. Consider Sun Life Financial, the insurance giant. Not only will its senior managers be using PlayBooks to conduct presentations (the tablets handle high-definition resolutions and PowerPoint files, making them a lightweight alternative to notebooks and projectors), but insurance agents will also take the devices to meetings with clients. The strategy is to replace paper products with something a lot more flashy, versatile and reusable.
A number of Canadian wealth management firms have also adopted the iPad for the same reason. For example, one firm is using the devices as a replacement to laptops for its client advisers. Tasks that were once time-consuming and clunky, such as photocopying documents, can now be done using tools such as the tablet’s on-board camera.
In the health care industry, the tablet is also quickly becoming a streamlining tool. Late last year, RIM showed off a medical app for the PlayBook called eUnity. The app is a medical image viewer, which securely transmits X-Ray scans, MRIs and other such data to a doctor’s tablet, making for much easier and more organized viewing. In hospitals such as Toronto’s Sunnybrook, staff are trying out such tools.
But there are still a number of issues keeping tablets from breaking out in the business world in the same numbers as laptops and desktops. For one thing, the operating systems on many of the tablets today aren’t customizable, meaning that it is more difficult for IT departments to install custom software or set usage restrictions. Other companies have raised concerns about the level of security on most tablets – a concern RIM hopes to capitalize on with its BlackBerry-tethered PlayBook. However, those concerns are easing somewhat as some companies come to consider the tablet simply as an access device, with the sensitive data itself stored on a more secure cloud. Should such a view become the norm, expect to see a lot of small and large businesses using tablets the way they do laptops.
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By: Christine Persaud
It's been rumoured for some time, but Research in Motion (RIM) has finally officially confirmed that its upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook tablet will in fact offer support for both BlackBerry Java and Google Android applications.
Two optional app players will provide the run-time environment for BlackBerry Java apps and Android apps from the BlackBerry App World market, and both types will run on the PlayBook.
RIM will release a software developer kit (SDK) shortly so developers can begin devising apps for the tablet operating system. The company has already gained support from two game development tooling companies, allowing developers to use the cross-platform game engines from Ideaworks Labs and Unity Technologies to bring games to the PlayBook.
There's a "high degree of API compatibility" between the BlackBerry and the Android platforms, says RIM, which will make it easy for developers to port apps from one platform to the other. Developers can simply "repackage, code sign and submit their BlackBerry Java and Android apps to BlackBerry App World," explains the firm.
Both optional players can be downloaded from BlackBerry App World, and will be placed in a secure "sandbox" on the PlayBook. Demos of the apps will be shown at BlackBerry App World, which takes place from May 3-5 in Orlando, FL.
The BlackBerry PlayBook will be available in both Canada and the U.S. on April 19.
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How did you get into this industry?
A friend of mine let me know there was an opportunity available at Microcel, and thought that I would enjoy the position and the change in industries. I was working in home appliances at the time, at Electrolux as a national sales manager for lawn and garden products. I sold Weed Eater and Poulan branded trimmers, tractors, lawnmowers, chainsaws and leaf blowers to Canadian Tire, Rona, Wal-Mart and Home Depot. At the time, I was also a member of a focus group at Rogers Wireless that allowed us to test the latest handsets before they hit the market. My friend was aware of my participation in the focus group, and thought that this, combined with my account management experience at Electrolux, made me a good fit for the Microcel role. Dealing in an older, more sedate industry like lawn and garden was great preparation for understanding some of the direction the wireless industry's growth would take within the major national accounts that focus on it today.
If you were not in this industry, what would you be doing?
Hopefully working in the sporting industry as a sales manager of some kind. Preferably for a golf equipment manufacturer. I have really become addicted to golf over the last seven years or so. I had a junior membership at Tyandaga in Burlington, ON when I was 14, and managed to play about 90 rounds. Since I've gotten back into it, I have tried to play 100 rounds a year. I usually only get between 60 and 70, though. I play 2-3 times a week, usually with a 36-hole day on the weekend. I enjoy playing many different courses; it keeps things interesting and continually challenging.
What's the most unusual/fun product you've represented during your career in the CE industry and why?
At one point, we were looking to work with a company that made inflatable jet skis with electric engines on them. It didn't quite work out, but it was definitely an interesting product.
What was the most interesting sales encounter you've had at a retail store?
Once when I worked at the Sears outlet store in Rexdale, ON, I saw a customer struggling to get a canoe out the front doors. I offered to help him to his car but, during our conversation, I got a little suspicious. I asked to see his receipt at which point he took off running through the parking lot with a canoe on his head. Needless to say, he didn't get too far before security caught up to him.
What's your favourite part of being a Canadian sales rep?
I enjoy being able to travel to different parts of Canada as part of my job. Canada is a big country, and most people don't get the opportunity to see it the way I have.
Do you find trade shows worthwhile, and if so, why? Which one is your favourite to attend and why?
Retail trade shows are great for learning to identify the different needs of the various national accounts and for the opportunity to discuss products and strategy with the associates in the store that will have to implement it. CTIA is a very good show for the wireless industry. It's a great opportunity to meet with vendors and customers in one setting and strategize for continued growth with the various partners.
What would you deem the most influential product introduction of your time?
My time in the wireless industry corresponds with the rise of Bluetooth technology, which has brought a huge change in revenue and product offerings on the accessory side of the business. During Q4 2009, both B.C. and Ontario initiated the hands-free legislation campaign. Even though neither province was dolling out tickets to offenders yet, the surge in Bluetooth and hands-free devices in those two provinces was immense.
Every rep has a story where they just couldn't help but make money because the economy was good and the product was hot. When did this happen to you?
Last year when the BC and Ontario hands-free legislation was announced. It was very difficult for the manufacturers to keep up with the demand, and even more difficult for the retailers to keep the products on the shelf. Customers were just grabbing whatever product remained on the shelves with not much thought to price point or manufacturer. As a distributor, we had to lean on our vendor partners, who were able to react the quickest both in manufacturing the products and transporting them to us. We were flying product in and shipping direct from the manufacturer to customer when we could.
Have you ever "fired" a client (either manufacturer/distributor or retailer) because it just wasn't worth it?
Sometimes relationships have to be examined to see if you and the customer/vendor are still moving in the same direction. Some relationships have to be changed or terminated simply because the companies no longer have the same goals or strategic outlook.
What's your happiest memory from working in this industry?
I don't have a specific memory. I do enjoy looking back to when I started in the wireless industry 4 years ago. There have been a lot of exciting changes, and the opportunities continue to grow. My first year working with Microcel and in this industry was a bit of a blur. Lawn and garden is a fairly slow-moving industry with planograms being rotated seasonally, which amounted to twice a year. In wireless, the accessory planogram changes are based on what the latest hot handset is, or what the new upcoming handset or accessory is going to be. This means they are always fluid, and that an account manager has to try to stay on top of what handsets each account offers, and make sure the accessory offering remains up-to-date accordingly. I have found that establishing good relationships with your vendors and customers is the key to keeping on top of what changes are coming. This is a major challenge, but also what I find most interesting. When a retailer's planogram only changes once or twice a year, it is difficult to build your successes and adjust products that are moving slowly in time to capture more business.
What technology product can you not live without?
My BlackBerry.
If you were to give one piece of advice to someone planning on becoming an indie sales agent, what would it be?
Keep abreast of the industry; it changes quickly and it is important to identify trends and opportunities as early as possible to help maximize your customers' growth.
Which has been the best year of your life in the industry so far, and why?
I enjoyed my first year in the industry the most. I had the opportunity to develop multiple national accounts and really create a feeling of partnership with these accounts as they grew.
Tell us something that most people don't know about you.
Most people probably do not know that growing up, my favourite sport was racquetball. My parents used to drop my buddy and I off at a club Sunday afternoons where we learned to play in a junior program from about the age of 10. We both continued to play, and I eventually played 4-6 days a week. I have played in hundreds of tournaments, and was lucky enough to play some of the best players in the open division throughout my teens and university years. I've always been highly competitive, and this was a great way to release some of that competitive energy.
You have just won $10 million dollars in Lotto 649. Naturally, your loyalty is to your customers (yeah right!!) But what else would you do with such a winfall?
I would tell my wife to pack some bags and we would be off to Hawaii on a golf vacation (spa for her), I would love to play Wailea and Kapalua.
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By: Christine Persaud
Microcel Corporation has been appointed the exclusive authorized Canadian distribution partner for Home Server Technologies Inc. (HSTi), a Canadian company that develops and markets entertainment devices, including a new product called the Wireless Media Stick.
With the Wireless Media Stick, customers can stream video, music, and photo files stored on their computer to other consumer electronics devices, like a TV, Blu-ray player, stereo system, or digital photo frame. The Stick connects via standard USB, and uses a home's existing wireless network.
According to HSTi, the Stick can work with "virtually any media player with a USB playback port." It doesn't store the files, but rather serves as a bridge between the computer and the secondary device. It is compatible with the Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
According to the terms of the agreement, Microcel will be authorized to ship the Wireless Media Stick to all Canadian retail and carrier partners.
"Microcel's goal of introducing our customers to the latest technologies has led us to this new partnership with HSTi, a leading company bridging an unfulfilled gap in multi-media sharing," comments Rick Henry, President and CEO, Microcel Corporation. "We are excited about this new relationship with HSTi, and the areas of growth opportunities it presents. Simplifying the customer experience is important for Microcel and our customers."
"We chose Microcel to take the Wireless Media Stick to the Canadian market because they shared our vision of how impactful our streaming technology will be for consumers," adds Don Douglas, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing, HSTi. "That shared vision, coupled with Microcel's existing network of retail partners, will quickly allow consumers the ability to enjoy their stored entertainment virtually anywhere in their home."
Microcel says the Wireless Media Stick will sell within the $119-$129 range.
For more information, contact Microcel at 1-800-565-9192; or visit www.microcelaccessories.com or http://HSTi.com/wirelessmediastick/overview.
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Microcel Corporation, a Newmarket, ON-based distributor of brand name communications and wireless accessories, has been appointed the exclusive Canadian distributor for the SuperTooth line of Bluetooth products, which include speakerphones and car kits, as well as portable sound systems.
SuperTooth has a long history manufacturing Bluetooth products in more than 35 countries, but this partnership marks the first time the company is entering the Canadian market with its own line of products. (Although you may recognize the brand name as having been a manufacturing partner for previous-generation BlueAnt products. Those will be phased out of retail.)
One of the most notable new products from SuperTooth is the Buddy, a visor-mounted speakerphone that boasts Bluetooth 2.1. The unit has rounded edges and comes finished in black, with pertinent buttons around the perimeter. These include a multifunction button for answer/end, voice dialing, and audio transfer from the unit back to the phone's speaker; end, and volume up/down.
Particularly notable features in the Buddy include automatic pairing and reconnecting to previously paired phones; the ability to pair with two phones at the same time; and a dedicated on/off button so users need not worry about the cumbersome "press and hold" method of triggering power.
Additional features of this unit include DSP echo cancellation, an anti-echo mic, voice dialing (with compatible phones) and redial. It comes with a magnetic visor clip, and affords up to 200 hours of talk time and 1,000 hours of standby. It will sell in Canada for an MSRP of $59.99.
In addition to a line of Bluetooth speakerphones, SuperTooth also makes portable Bluetooth sound systems, like the Disco; and motorcycle kits.
"We're very excited to be working with an innovative brand such as Supertooth," comments Ron Grigg, Product Manager at Microcel. "Its quality products speak to our commitment to continue to create value for our customers by providing feature rich accessories at sharper prices."
"Microcel is the best partner to ensure efficient distribution in Canada," adds Michel Marchant, CEO of SuperTooth. "Their strong experience and perfect knowledge of their market, together with their vast distribution network and recognized customer service skills, convinced us to choose them as an exclusive distributor. This has always been part of our business plan: one country, one sole distributor, but the best one. This strategy has made SuperTooth successful worldwide, as we have sold 5 million pieces since the brand was created in 2004."
For more information, visit www.microcelaccessories.com, www.supertooth.net; or contact Microcel toll-free at 1-800-565-9192.
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By: Christine Persaud
Microcel Corporation has been appointed an authorized Canadian distribution partner for Belkin's line of iPhone accessories.
According to the terms of the agreement, Microcel will ship Belkin iPhone products, like cases, to all Canadian carriers as well as authorized dealers. As regular readers will know, both Bell and Telus have confirmed that they will be offering the iPhone once their respective HSPA networks are up and running next month.
"We are very excited to be distributing Belkin-branded iPhone accessories," says Ron Grigg, Product Manager at Microcel. "With the new introduction of iPhone to Bell and Telus in November, the market in Canada for iPhone accessories will grow tremendously. The opportunities are endless with what we can achieve with this brand."
Belkin offers everything from cases and skins to in-car FM transmitters for the popular iPhone. The company has already launched a line of cases for the new iPhone 3G S, including a Micra Flex case that's constructed of polycarbonate and rubber, and allows for easy removal of the iPhone via the U-Flex design. Users can access to all connectors, buttons, and the screen when the device is housed within the case.
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