IT Business: Apple Canada Ready For IT Business

by , 12:00 PM EST, December 23rd, 2003

Apple has made some impressive strides in marketing its products to IT shops here in the States, many companies suffering from shrinking budgets and bad karma from Microsoft are finding Apple's offerings to be good for what ails them.

That's fine, but Apple doesn't only exist in the US marketplace. What of our northern neighbors? Are Canadian companies seeing the benefits in Apple's IT product line-up; and, more importantly, does Apple Canada have the infrastructure to service an IT market in Canada?

According to a report in IT Business, a Canadian publication that focuses on information technology in Canada, Apple has done a lot enhance its IT presence in Canada. The article focuses on Mary Percat, channel strategy and development manager for Apple Canada. Here's a bit of that article:

For Mary Percat, this past year has borne the fruit of her labour.

Percat, channel strategy and development manager for Apple Canada, has been instrumental in developing a new channel for Apple Canada and recruiting new VARs in enterprise and storage markets.

"This has been a really cutting year for all these product announcements and the growth of our products," said Percat.

At a time when many of Apple's competitors are downsizing, she's proud that Apple decided to invest rather than cut back.

"A lot of manufacturers like ourselves have felt the pressure of the industry slump. They've chosen not to release new products or laid off thousands of people."

Apple's strategy was crafted about five years ago when the slump started.

The article goes on to examine how Ms. Percat expanded Apple's Canadian IT presence, which is now being to show very positive results.. Read the full article at the IT Business website.

The Mac Observer Spin:

That the Canadian arm of Apple is wooing and winning IT business is obvious goodness, and it shows that Apple's current push into corporate IT shops is more than just a passing fancy, it's a serious effort by Apple to expand its presence beyond its typical markets. Big business can mean big dollars, and Apple is wise to go after a piece.

As Ms. Percat points out, Apple has an extremely attractive IT product line for CIOs to look over, something it hasn't had in quite some time. With the current problems seen on other platforms (we won't name names, but it rhymes with, umm, Lindows), more IT manager are looking for inexpensive ways to diversify their infrastructures, to make them less dependent, and less vulnerable to the ravages of one OS. Apple has the right tools at the right time.

Mary Percat, Channel Manager Apple Canada