Kazan is under the flag of MERLION: the regional MBC forum in Tatarstan

On the 20th of May this year the MERLION Business Channel conference was held in Kazan, in the entertainment complex “Korston-Kazan”, where the leading IT-companies of Tatarstan and the Volga region were present. The MBC forums are a well-reputed format of visiting actions for the partners where the owners of the largest computer companies of Russia meet for the discussion, exchange of experience and view of interesting new products in the IT-market. The representatives of the largest suppliers of computer equipment – the companies BenQ (monitors), Lenovo (laptops), Gigabyte (motherboards), Microsoft (software), Panasonic (multifunction devices), Western Digital (hard disks) announced to the partners of the Volga region new interesting products, have outlined the purposes and objectives of promotion in the Russian market.

The MERLION sales director, Sergey Raskolov, greeted the partners of the Volga region. Then, within the official part of the forum, the Vendors' representatives have spoken with 15-minute presentations.

Andrey Bulatnikov, the Lenovo partner relationship manager, has told about the new models of the manufacturer's laptops, has voiced the advantages and plans of the company in the presentation “The force of Lenovo is in our products. The harmony of quality and innovation”. He has gone into detail on the leaders in the line of Lenovo laptops, has presented the analytical review about the situation in the market of laptops and has told to the partners about the near-time and future plans of the manufacturer in the Russian market.

Vadim Khomyakov, the BenQ partner relationship manager, has made a presentation ”LED TFT monitors BenQ 2010, new technologies and advantages”. In his speech V. Khomyakov has emphasized the advantages of the manufacturer's production, has told about new interesting models in the vendor's range and technologies applied in the manufacture of BenQ monitors.

Yevgeny Karpov, the head of Panasonic marketing and planning group, has outlined the vendor's purposes and objectives in the presentation “Panasonic multifunction device. The model range and plans for 2010”. In this speech he has introduced the analytics on the manufacturer's multifunction devices, has told about new models in the Panasonic range and has shared the plans for the future with partners of the Volga federal district.

Alexander Chaikovsky, the Western Digital partner relationship manager, has made a presentation “WD is the technological leader in the market of hard disks”, wherein he has fixed on the product portfolio of WD data carriers: WD Caviar ™, WD Scorpio ™ mobile disks, external, laptop and network drives as well as popular desktop disks My Book ™.

Lyubov Malanjina, the regional representative of Gigabyte in Kazan and the Volga region, has done a presentation of “GIGABYTE Technology. System boards. Quality and innovations”, wherein she has emphasized the benefits and advantages of new Gigabyte motherboards and also has told about the full line of decisions for the personal computer of any level based on Gigabyte production.

Leonid Groshkov, the Microsoft system builders relationship manager, has reported on the topic “The change in the Office 2010 distribution channel” and also has replied to current questions of Volga region partners concerning the last newly-designed product of the company, Windows 7 operational system, and MS Office 2010 software due in soon. Besides Leonid Groshkov has presented to the partners the joint marketing programs operating on Microsoft software in MERLION (“Travelling Club MERLION” and “Microsoft: key to your desires”) wherein the partners of the Volga region can take part.

The second part of the forum - round tables - was opened by the MERLION sales director, Sergey Raskolov. In his speech for the partners S. Raskolov has told about the increase of MERLION distribution portfolio that at the time of business event execution included 94 distribution contracts and also has paid the audience’s attention to the prospects and rates of sales growth of new commodity groups (“household appliances”, “mobile phones”, “audio-video equipment”). Besides he has enlarged upon such red-hot directions, as laptop computers, netbooks, nettops, navigating systems, eBooks.

Upon the presentation completion the forum participants were provided an opportunity to proceed with discussion at round tables. Within this part of action they managed to show the knowledge of the market and experience of sales in the fascinating business game devoted to the products of manufacturers participating in the forum. A side benefit in competition became oratorical and artistic abilities of participants. Following the results of voting BenQ team had been pronounced the absolute winner. Besides during the round tables, the partners of Volga federal district have discussed in detail the features of computer market of the Volga region and have compared the tendencies of its development to the all-Russian trend.

At the end of the evening celebratory fourchette and pleasant dialogue in the company of colleagues awaited the visitors of MERLION Business Channel conference.