A Distributor’s Disruptive Journey
For half a century, a good distributor was about effective and efficient picking, packing, and shipping. Telecom distribution wasn’t particularly unique. The inventory largely consisted of specialized hardware including phones provided to authorized dealers. Distributors provided direct access to inventory, financing, and sometimes training. Over the past decade the industry experienced significant change. Iwatsu Voice Networks found its development capability increasing in value, while its line of traditional PBX equipment decreasing. To complement its portfolio, the distributor forged a relationship with Alcatel-Lucent in 2010 largely focused on its OXE telephony solution.