TAIT On Top

While Mumbai-based Traders Association of IT or TAIT topped the list, there
were many which slipped from the top rungs to lower ranks

For the second consecu­tive year DQ Channels com­mis­sioned IDC India with
the task of ranking the 28 active IT channel associations in the country on
various parame­ters. After taking compre­hen­sive feed­back from com­mittees
and randomly picked members, the results were evaluated to arrive at the
ranking.

The ranking reflects the activities and efforts put in by each association
for the year 2005. Surprisingly, this year's results were in no ways simi­lar
to that of the previous year. Except for the Trichy-based Association of Com­puter
Traders (ACTT) staying steady at number 20, every other association got a dif­ferent
ranking.

The survey saw many ups and downs with some of the popular associations
falling down to lower rank as com­pared to its previous year's ranking. Here
is the much-anticipated result of the second DQC-IDC Channel Association Survey
- 2006.

TAIT tops the charts

Mumbai's premier trade body for the IT channel com­munity - Traders
Association of Information Technology (TAIT) - topped the DQC-IDC Channel
Association Survey - 2006. According to the member feedback and the analyst
evaluation, TAIT has been very effective in reso­l­ving member issues and con­ducting
mem­ber welfare programs. Being an associa­tion that represents the cha­n­nel
partners' in the com­mer­­cial city of the country, it has put in a lot of
efforts in extending quality support to both its members and non-members
whenever it was required. Many a times, the association has gone out of its way
in voicing the community's concerns with the local as well as central
government through trade representations. It has been continuously trying to add­ress
issues relating to VAT and octroi, which has always been a concern for channel
partners in Mumbai.

Over a period of time it has also built a reputation for being one of the
most active associations in the country averaging one event every month for the
welfare and benefit of the channel com­munity. Besides, the associa­tion has
also pursued the interest of its members over­all growth by conducting family
get-togethers from time to time. Two of the most popular events involving entire
families of the mem­bers are the Diwali Mela and the Holi Mela, which are
conducted every year.

During the year, TAIT con­ducted trade seminars and training programs for
the welfare of its members, espe­cially the systems integrator (SI) community.

Diligently climbing up the rankings

The South Gujarat Infor­mation Technology Associa­tion (SITA) based in
Surat was the next best association as per the result of the survey. Positive
member feedback, as well as an improved rating on the various parameters helped
the association move up the ranking list.

Last year, SITA was ranked way down at number 18. This is a big achievement
for the association, which actively stepped up member welfare activities in the
year 2005. Events addressing issues on octroi, VAT and fraud cases were some of
the key aware­ness building activities that it conducted.

During the year, it also successfully held its annual IT trade exhibition and
did a commendable job as far as conducting regular meetings was concerned. It
held over 35 meetings throug­hout the year.

At number three, the Jalandhar Computer Dealers Association (JCDA), made a
big jump from its number 17 position last year. A major achievement for this
associa­tion came in the form of its success in bringing down octroi rates in
its local muni­cipal vicinity from five percent to three percent. Besides, the
association was able to resolve many cases of cheating and defaulting with the
help of the media. JCDA got the highest feedback score from it members.

Bhubaneswar-based Infor­mation Technology Associa­tion of Orissa (ITAO), is
possibly the fastest gainer in this year's ranking. The asso­­­cia­tion
was placed num­ber 23 last year and made it to number four this time around.

Others in the reckoning

At number five is the Vidhar­bha Computer Manufacturers and Dealers Welfare
Asso­ciation (VCMDWA), based in Nagpur. This year's ranking actually
disfavors VCMDWA as it has dropped from its pre­vious year's number third
position. As usual, the asso­ciation conducted its regular trade exhibition
called Com­pex with decent success rate. Additionally, it also held a protest
rally for abolishment of octroi.

The parameter where VCM­DWA lost point was with regards to the drop in
membership strength from 160 to 125, a drop of 25 per­cent. This is surely a
setback for the association and can possible hinder its ranking in the future if
it fails to get back the lost members.

At number six is the New Delhi-based Computer Media Dealers Association (CMDA),
which has managed some improvement in its ranking this year. According to mem­ber
feedback, some of the activities conducted by the association have been well
appreciated by the members.

G-10 Computer Dealers Association (GCDA) of Chen­nai at number seven slipped
in its ranking primarily due to decrease in its number of active members. All
other associations including Baroda Information Technology Asso­ciation (BITA)
at number eight, Kolkata-based Com­puter Association of Eastern India (COMPASS)
at number nine, Pune-based Computer and Media Dealers Associa­tion (CMDA) at
number 10, performed reasonably well as far as the role of association is
concerned. However, mem­ber feedback indicates a laxity in the associations'
ability to resolve member concerns immediately.

New Delhi-based Progre­ssive Channels Association of Information Technology
(PCAIT) at number 11 was a new association that has shown the potential to scale
up in the top rank going by the activities and influence it has garnered as a
premier association in the country. It has done well in addressing various
issues of the channel community and has received very strong credibility from
the vendor community as well, in a short span of time.

Scope to do well

The Ahmedabad Computer Merchants Association (ACMA) at number 12, fol­lowed
by Chennai's Informa­tion Technology Traders Association (ITTA) at number 13,
slipped in their rankings due to a decrease in the number of active members. At
the same time, member feedback also was not very positive with regards to the
number of member welfare activities conducted in the year.

While Pondicherry-based Information Technology Tra­ders Association (ITTA)
stood at number 13 and the Utta­ran­chal IT Trade Association (UITTA) based in
Dehradun marked its place at number 14, it was a sad show from the Association
for Information Technology (AIT) based in Bangalore at number 15. Despite
showing a large representation of around 600 members the association has only
managed to get only 250 members in the active parti­cipation list.

The next block of 13 associations did not have anything significant to
justify high ranks and were ranked in the following sequence:

• Indore-based Madhya Pradesh Telecom & Com­puter Traders Association (MPTCTA)
• Hyderabad-based Twin Cities Computer Dealers Association (TCCDA)
• Lucknow Computer Vya­par Mandal (LCVM)
• Association of Computer Traders Trichy (ACTT)
• Jamshedpur IT Associ­ation (JITA), Jamshedpur
• Computer Dealers Associ­ation of Trivandrum (CDAT)
• Coimbatore Computer Dealers Association (CCDA)
• Goa IT Business Associa­tion (GIBA)
• Jaipur-based Rajasthan Computer Traders Associ­a­tion (RCTA)
• Cochin-based All Kerala Computer Manufacturers and Dealers Association (AKCMADA)
• Madurai-based Computer And Media Society (CAMS)
• Kanpur Computer Dealers Association (KCDA)

Nelson Johny

(nelsonpj@cybermedia.co.in)