Southern Africa is a region brimming with potential, embracing digital transformation to drive economic growth and societal development. PFU EMEA is committed to playing a key role in this journey, providing businesses across the region with tailored document management solutions that enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and unlock the power of information.
Local Expertise, Global Support:
Leading the team in Southern Africa is Channel Development Manager, Aubrey Kearns, based in Cape Town. His team oversees operations in South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola, providing customers with comprehensive support. “The local team looks after every aspect of the business, supporting their needs for channel development, end user business development, presales and post-sales support,” says Kearns. “We can also call on additional support from the UK- based EMEA headquarters.”
A Strong Channel Focus:
PFU (EMEA) Limited works closely with distributors and specialised partners to reach customers across Southern Africa. Key distributors in the region are Mustek and Redington, both renowned for their expertise and extensive reach. “We are a 100% indirect company and, in the southern Africa region, go to market through distributors Mustek and Redington, and other specialised partners,” Kearns explains.
Market Leadership and Growth:
PFU (EMEA) Limited benefits from a strong brand presence and extensive market penetration in Southern Africa. As an established global leader in document imaging, they hold a significant market share across various sectors, including government, banking, telecommunications, and SMEs. “We are particularly strong in government in this region,” Kearns notes. “In fact, with over 20 000 devices sitting in government accounts, we can say we are very well established in this sector. The PFU brand has recently become part of the Ricoh organisation. This means the PFU (EMEA) Limited team is not taking on a new, greenfield market, but building on an existing instal base with great product recognition.”
Expanding the Partner Ecosystem:
While PFU (EMEA) Limited already boasts a strong partner network in Southern Africa, they are committed to further expanding our reach and capabilities. “We are trying to carve out a unique specialist partner base,” Kearns explains. “So we are not necessarily looking to grow the total breadth, but rather to build out specialisations. Our go-to-market message is that we are here to sell solutions. So we are also open to collaborating with third-party software-specific vendors to build bundles where our route to market is aligned.
This way, we can develop solid solutions that we can present to various segments in the market.”
Comprehensive Support and Services:
PFU (EMEA) Limited provides comprehensive support and services to its partners and customers in Southern Africa. This includes:
- Repair services: Delivered by specially trained service delivery partners, backed by PFU’s global support operation.
- Pre-sales support: A dedicated team based in the UK provides expert pre- sales assistance.
- Technical support: Strong technical support is available from both the local team and a dedicated team in Saudi Arabia.
- Distributor support: Distributors play a key role in providing warranty support, product swaps, and spare parts. “They have a deep level of sales expertise,” Kearns says, “The PFU (EMEA) Limited product is a value sale, so distributors need to have consultative salespeople, to take our knowledge to the partners.”
Flexibility and Value:
PFU (EMEA) Limited’s commitment to flexibility and value is a key differentiator in the Southern African market. “Our biggest value-add has got to be flexibility,” Kearns emphasises. “While we are very structured in our channel and rewards programs, our ability to pivot and cross-source utilities from the greater support team means we have the flexibility to accommodate complex customer technical, budget and supply chain needs, allowing us to exceed partner and customer expectations.”
Speaking about the overall market, Kearns explains that “We have a strong foothold in many sectors of industry on the continent. We are the entry point to any organisation embarking on their digital transformation journey and, with many African countries leading this change, we see opportunity in all spheres of enterprise.”
With a strong local presence, a dedicated partner network, and a commitment to customer success, PFU (EMEA) Limited is well- positioned to drive digital transformation and empower businesses across Southern Africa.
Visit our partner portal to learn more: PFU Partner Program https://partner.imaging- channel-program.com/English/
https://www.pfu-emea.ricoh.com | Email on scannersales@pfu-emea.ricoh.com