The DQ Week Exclusive : CIITA to come up with offsite channel initiative

Stepping up its initiative in bringing eastern associations at a joint platform and boost channel trade relations, Confederation of Indian IT Associations (CIITA) is planning to come up with an offsite channel initiative in bringing CEO's of different companies under one roof to deliberate on the business scenario as well as discuss potential business opportunities.

Planning to launch the programme in July, B. Hari, president, CIITA, said, "Our primary objective is to boost trade relations in the region and bring different associations under a common platform".

"However, local issues will still be handled by the respective associations on their own capacity and CIITA will not intervene in any matter until it is escalated to us. Our priority is business development and better communication among the member associations as well as individuals", he added.

Although the proposed event is still at a developing stage with suggestions pouring in, CIITA seems quite confident about the move.

Among its activities, the confederation has been holding meetings across the east with member associations being the hosts. Also, in a major move, the confederation is on the process of drafting a national distributor policy and a proposed charter has been made which is open to member acceptability.

The problem over defining a national distributor and the name designation arose immediately after the fiasco with Rashi Peripherals and NECTA with sources in Compass suggesting that the issue is raging on even in Kolkata.

"Some dealers in Kolkata are questioning the status and viability of national distributors entering retail channels and this is one of the core issues in Kolkata now", a source in Compass said on condition of anonymity.

Addressing concerns of this stature, CIITA, in its website has defined the national distributor as ‘A company which has a pan India presence and distributes products of OEMs on an exclusive or non exclusive basis where the OEM invoices the National Distributor directly or the National Distributor directly imports goods from the OEM'.

With initiatives like this and the move towards holding the CEO Summit in July, CIITA is poised to voice the concerns as well as command the unity in eastern associations.