Exceeders, IT Sales, Online Solutions, E-Commerce, Online Vendors, B2B Sales | read
In recent years, companies have seen a sharp rise in online shopping numbers.
It is estimated that in 2018 alone, over 2.4 trillion dollars were spent in online retail worldwide – a figure that has almost doubled since 2014. Online shoppers today make up over 47% of the internet population.
What makes e-commerce so appealing?
It is no wonder that with all of these advantages, even businesses are making their purchases online these days.
As a leading IT software and services enterprise market store in the Gulf, we have taken note of online purchasing trends. Five years ago, it was challenging to make a sale without multiple visits to our customers, guiding them through the sales cycle – making them aware of the product or service, telling them about its benefits, and trying to convince them that it is something they should be buying.
Today, we find that so many customers have already done their research – they know what products and services are out there, and they already have the top two or three vendors or service providers shortlisted. They have done 70% of the groundwork required for a successful B2B sale.
How did this happen so quickly? Quite simply, business owners and buying decision-makers are following the same habits they’ve formed when making a consumer purchase – research, compare, and buy. Sales Account Managers and Relationship Managers are now viewed as ‘brand ambassadors’ – promoting a specific vendor or service – as opposed to actual consultants. The consultants and everything customers need to know is now online.
Because of these shifting purchasing trends, it is estimated that this year, 2019, B2B firms will spend more on e-commerce technology to facilitate online purchasing than online retailers do.
This massive investment in ‘online stores,’ complete with comparisons, reviews, and round the clock access to chatbots and digital account managers will undoubtedly impact on the ground sales personnel, who will probably be engaged only later in the sales cycle, and act more as facilitators for customers than actual account managers.
The Gulf region is no different from the rest of the world. Since 2016 to date, we have seen a dramatic increase in customer research hours. Organizations, governmental and private, now dedicate hundreds of hours annually to research IT solutions for their problems. IT managers now approach us asking about a specific product or service that could potentially resolve their issue – they refuse to be limited to what is being sold locally by the handful of service providers and vendors on the ground.
This was the main inspiration behind Exceeders.com. When we launched Exceeders back in 2016, our primary goal was to ensure customers had options. Investing in IT solutions in a growing region like the Gulf should be about having international prospects and the ability to bring in the best possible product, even if it does not exist locally.
Today, Exceeders is also about making IT solutions easy to access, research, and purchase as we believe that this is the natural future of IT sales. IT decision-makers are also consumers who make their purchases via Amazon, eBay, etc. When you combine that buyer mentality with progressive governments such as the Government of Dubai which has mandated that by 2021, all internal and customer transactions will be digitized to enable a paper-free government for a faster, more convenient, and environmentally friendly experience – where else is there to go but online?
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Originally published Aug 1, 2019 12:59:24 PM, updated August 1, 2019
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GITEX 2019 has finally concluded. We had five power packed days of action, business networking, and meeting new partners and clients. We spent last week full of conversations and experiences around innovation, technology, and future.
In case you were not able to attend GITEX 2019, we are afraid - you really missed out! 😉
But don't worry, here is a run-down of what went down at GITEX 2019 and what is new for Exceeders this and next year.
As we mentioned in our GITEX preview post, we launched our flagship product, Exceeders Collaboration Agreement aka, ECA app. ECA app launch was an instant success and within the first three days of launch, the app became #3 trending app for its category.
In short, ECA is a comprehensive app for both Android and iOS. It offers users access to over 300 IT solutions and providers. With just a few clicks, IT leaders around the world can connect with Exceeders’ partners and start collaborating with them to grow their own organisations.
Want to benefit from ECA and Exceeders network? Download app here.
Speaking of Exceeders network and partners
Just like last year’s edition, at GITEX 2019 we welcomed exciting new partners to our network.
Vestigos
We announced our partnership with Vestigos Consulting Services represented by Mr. Stelios Leftheris. Vestigos is a leading consulting firm that specialises in helping startups develop their products and acquire funding. Vestigos will support and connect with all startups within Exceeders ecosystem.
FlairsTech
We also signing a partnership with FlairsTech. FlairsTech is a leading IT provider helping organisations digitally transform their workplaces and employee experiences.
NESICON Middle East
NESICON Middle East and Exceeders also became partners at GITEX 2019.
NESICON is an agile Information Security Intelligence company that serves a niche market in Middle-East and Africa for business that seek top quality information security services for their organisation.
Cloud Solutions
We are now partners with Cloud Solutions. Cloud Solutions was represented by their CEO Ajith TK at GITEX. Cloud Solutions aims to help SMEs in the UAE - digitally transforming their operations.
Exceeders and Diyar United Company are now partners officially. Mr Saed Zaidan, Director, Business Development joined us at the Day 2 of GITEX.
Diyar offers IT services including Microsoft solutions to help businesses in Kuwait enrich their portfolio & bring value and help them accelerate their digital transformation.
Ubility
We are now official partners with Ubility. Together, Exceeders & Ubility will provide top of the line AI solutions that help out customers & improve their customer, supplier and employee experience.
eCity Oman
eCity is another new partner added to Exceeders network. We are delighted to announce our partnership with eCity for IT Services to help bring its portfolio of innovative solutions to the Omani SME Market.
GetBEE
We're so proud to be partners with GetBEE - Bringing Expertise Everywhere. GetBEE gives its customers the tech to drive better results digitally.
Sahab Smart Solutions
Exceeders and Sahab Smart Solutions are official partners now. Together we will expand Sahab's portfolio of innovative solutions to organisations in Sharjah and help them transform digitally.
CNS Middle East, one of the biggest SI in the GCC is now an Exceeders partner. CNS, was repped here by Mr Hatem Hariri at GITEX. CNS focuses on enterprise and public sector around the GCC region.
We are now official partners of Cork Information Technology a channel in Bahrain providing ERP solutions- represented at GiTEX by Managing Director, Raju M V.
Jathwa Technologies
At Gitex we also became partners with Jathwa Technologies, an emerging ICT provider from Saudi Arabia. Represented at Gitex by Salem al Enezi, President, Jathwa provides top solutions in CustomerExperience, DataAnalytics, & smart mobility.
We are proud to announce that our education startup, Nadrus, was acquired by the Omani Society for Education Technology (OSET).
An education initiative by Exceeders, Nadrus aims to bridge the gap between formal education and the market skill demand. It currently serves about 200,000 Arabic speaking learners and more than 150 educators in fields ranging from Microsoft Excel and Photoshop, to Android application development and programming.
All in all, we had an incredible week at GITEX 2019. We are thankful to our hardworking team, all our partners who visited us, and everyone who came by and made our day.
Now the countdown to GITEX 2020 begins already. ⌛
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Today’s employment market is a harsh one. With increasing running costs and consumers rushing to find the lowest prices, many businesses are taking the tough choice to reduce their workforce – putting many skilled and long-serving employees out of work and with few prospects for new employment.
But the fact is, with this trend of in-office downsizing, the freelance scene is more prosperous than ever. In fact, according to Forbes, the freelance economy in the US increased from 3.7 million freelancers to a staggering 56.7 million Americans in 2018. That accounts for close to a third of the US workforce, so it's clear that the rising popularity of self-employment isn’t going anywhere soon.
So for salespeople who have recently been made redundant, or feel that their job is at risk, there’s an entirely new opportunity to grasp in the form of working from home. One of a salesperson’s best strengths is in their list of contacts, and they can leverage this invaluable information to bring in a dependable flow of income.
In this post, we’ll analyse the pros and cons of turning to the life of a freelance sales rep, and outline the potential benefits as well as the challenges you could face, and how to overcome them.
This one is music to the ears of anyone feeling concerned about taking the leap into freelance sales. By becoming your own boss, you get to take home all of the money you make directly (tax aside), instead of it going into the pocket of your manager. And this also means that the more time, effort and skill you can put into your endeavours, the more you stand to make. There’s no fixed limit like there would be with a salary.
Another sizeable benefit is that as a freelance sales rep, you can pick and choose your clients. You’ll have the autonomy to research your potential clients, and only work with those you believe to be reputable and worth your time. That’s not to say that there won’t be some unpleasant experiences, but it does make it much more likely that you’ll be working with a great selection of clients that you enjoy.
And last on the list of the key positives, you’ll have the freedom to work how, when and where you like. For many freelancers in sales this means more time with the family or with passion projects, and also lower commuting costs without the need to trek into the office every day. And as an extra bonus, no-one is going to care if you choose to spend the workday in your pyjamas.
So, on to the pitfalls. As a freelancer, you won’t have access to the same dedicated onboarding or lead generation team that a large company would. Instead, it’s all down to you to go out, research the market, chase leads, and seal the deal. This means that a large amount of your working time needs to be spent doing these things, in order for you to have proper work to do.
But as we mentioned before, one of your greatest strengths is in your list of contacts. You can leverage the client relationships you’ve built over your career to your advantage, and use the people you know to build a strong network of reliable sales opportunities.
Without a comfortable salary to depend on, the income situation for a lot of freelancers (especially those just starting out) comes in ebbs and flows, with some months bringing in a huge flow of work, and others slowing to a drip. It’s important to remember that these dips aren’t necessarily a sign that you’re doing something wrong, but as with any business, there are different times of the year in which the work simply comes in slower.
The benefit of being a freelance sales rep is that you can use these calm periods to network and grow your list of leads, so that you’ll soon have a new influx of sales opportunities to close.
As we’ve seen, unpredictability is a common theme in freelance sales, and nothing is as unforeseeable as falling ill at the wrong time. And as with the lack of a set salary, it’s obvious that any time you’re not actively working, you won’t be getting paid. To mitigate this, many freelancers have multiple revenue streams from things like investments and other passive forms of income, so that if you fancy a holiday or get the flu, you’re not going to be hit quite so hard.
In our opinion, absolutely. The greatest risks typically come in at the start of your journey into freelance sales, however the ability to earn much more than a typical sales job salary, and the added benefit of having your own freedom and flexibility, can make this shift in career a very lucrative one.
If you’re looking to enter self-employment in sales but aren’t sure what to sell, Exceeders offer top-tier business software and technology to large organizations, and we’re looking for talented salespeople like yourself to join our network.
You’ll be able to use the contacts you’ve nurtured throughout your career to pitch them our partners’ services, and you have the option to either pass us the leads directly, or close the deal yourself.
And for every completed sale, you’ll earn a generous incentive of up to 12% of the transaction. Our partner products vary in price from $30,000 - $300,000, so you could stand to earn up to $36,000 from just a single successful deal.
Interested in working with us? Check out our job openings.
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Taking the leap and becoming a freelancer is a no easy decision, but it’s one that more and more people are choosing to make. Some estimates state that by 2020, over 50% of the US workforce will be self-employed. This indicates a seismic shift from traditional office work with set hours, to a style of business that allows for greater flexibility, autonomy, and a career on your own terms.
But this flexibility can come at a cost. For many, the risk of foregoing a steady monthly income is more than a little daunting. With bills, rent, childcare and any other number of financial obligations to consider, setting yourself up as a small business requires careful consideration. However, unlike a set salary, your earning potential as a freelancer is practically unlimited.
Here, we’re going to look at just some of the reasons people choose to swap the day job for becoming their own boss.
According to Totaljobs, the average freelancer across all sectors can typically expect to earn anywhere from £37,089 to £76,514 per year — but this is not necessarily a representation of a freelancer working specifically in sales. Your income as a freelance sales agent is linked to the amount of time you put in, the level of skill you offer, and the types of deals you close. This means the amount you can earn has no set limit, with the potential to lead towards an incredibly profitable career.
Commission and other incentives largely contribute towards this, as you won’t be required to split this income with an employer. This income comes straight to you, instead.
And on top of this, you’ll have the benefit of being able to use the business links you’ve built up over their careers to create new business opportunities.
Ever felt held back by your company? This sentiment is widespread among many sales employees, where they can only earn depending on the opportunities provided by their employer. This, combined with long working weeks and inflexible hours, has pushed many businesspeople to buck the trend.
As a freelancer, you’ll be able to work when it suits you, without the obligation of putting in the standard 40+ work week. You’ll have the flexibility to work more or fewer hours as it suits your schedule, meaning you can create a much better harmony with your work and home life.
As a freelancer you will also have the freedom to pursue the kind of work that suits you best, so you can focus your efforts on working with clients that matter to you, and can bring in the most money.
Asides from the flexibility and high earning potential, as a freelance sales representative you will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of products and clients, expanding your experience and your skills across many different sectors. Proving your adaptability is something that can set you apart from the typical sales agent, meaning you can make yourself an attractive choice for businesses looking to boost their sales.
And every successful sale means another entry for your portfolio, so you can show new potential clients the wide scope of your experience, expertise and effectiveness as a salesperson.
We’re looking for talented business people like yourself who can introduce our partner products to the contacts you’ve acquired throughout your career. Through our platform, you’ll be able to use the connections you’ve nurtured over the years to convert these assets into an income.
And you don’t even need a technical background to start with — we’ll give you expert coaching on all of our partner products and how to successfully close deals.
For every completed sale, you’ll earn a generous incentive of up to 12% of the transaction. Our partner products vary in price from $30,000 - $300,000, so you could stand to earn up to $36,000 from just a single successful deal.
Interested in working with us? Check out our job openings.
