Tech Access partnership with Astrolabe IT aims to support transformation of retail sector in the Middle East

The partnership will enable prospective customers to evaluate Astrolabe's pioneering sales and distribution solution at the Tech Access Solutions Center in Dubai. Other Astrolabe solutions - including inventory and human resources systems - will also be available for trial.

Executives at both companies predict strong interest in the sales and distribution solution across the region, given the continuing expansion of retail outlets in the Middle East.

'Retail, as an extension of agency representation and manufacturing sectors, continues to grow in the markets of the MENA, especially in the GC countries where it has manifested itself in a tremendous growth in the number of retail outlets, shopping centers and points of sale,' said Ali Shamseddine, President and CEO, Astrolabe IT.

'By offering companies in the Middle East the opportunity to test Astrolabe's powerful Sales and Distribution Solution at the authorized iForce Ready Center before investing in it, we're enabling them to build a prototype that matches their specific business needs and make a full evaluation of the value it will bring to their organization,' concluded Shamseddine.

Designed using Oracle's latest technology and built upon Sun Microsystems' hardware, the sales and distribution solution helps organizations manage the entire sales cycle, from initial contact through to order-tracking, shipping, and invoicing.

'Selecting the right sales and distribution solution is a critical decision for many businesses, because they need to be totally confident that the new solution will manage their orders and deliveries in a way that fully supports their internal processes,' said Martyn Molnar, business solutions architect, Tech Access.

As a leading solutions provider, Tech Access works with a number of strategic partners, building upon Sun Microsystems' technology where possible.

'The addition of Astrolabe IT to our family of strategic partners demonstrates the wide expanse of industries and enterprises that Tech Access is capable of serving in the Middle East,' commented Shomail Ghalib, managing director, Tech Access.

'In the past, some people have assumed that our 'test-before-you-invest' services are only open to large organizations initiating major projects, but the reality is that we also serve a significant number of the region's mid-market enterprises. These are often the companies who need the greatest peace of mind before committing to a technology solution, and we're delighted that, working with Astrolabe, we can provide this for another section of the Middle East's business community,' concluded Ghalib.