SAGE enters into Strategic Partnership with Modern Computers & Communication Co. Ltd.

MCC was established in 1997 as a joint venture between the Zahid Group and the Amkest Group.

Under the partnership, MCC will promote and implement Sage's enterprise commercial applications (ERP) in the Kingdom. MCC is one of two Sage Software authorized partners in Saudi Arabia. The limited number of partners is being controlled by Sage Middle East to assure a high level of service to all customers.

Shishir Srivastava, Director of Sage Middle East, said, "Customers in the Kingdom are looking for solutions that comprise powerful and advanced products of international repute that can be localized and delivered by people who have proven technical excellence and knowledge. MCC is a trusted family name that is willing to invest in quality staff, training and marketing. Their understanding of customers' business needs and their commitment to building lasting partnerships with Sage customers made choosing MCC as our partner easy".

When asked why the tie-up with Sage, Mr Nasser Bayram, Executive Vice President of MCC said, "There are four pillars of success for this relationship - Global Brand, Proven Local Success, Local Commitment and Limited Channel. Firstly, Sage is the world's leading business management software to small & medium enterprises - this allows us to market the best solutions to our customers. Secondly, Sage is the 3rd largest ERP vendor in the GCC with over 500 customers & 10,000 users in the Middle East, which highlights their proven success in the region. The third pillar is due to Sage's commitment to the region with a local office offering marketing, training & support. The last pillar to this successful relationship is due to Sage supporting a limited number of partners. In Saudi Arabia this allows MCC to run a profitable business with no price undercutting, and of course customers will gain through better quality service & implementation.

While Sage offers a range of Business Management Systems, MCC will be focused on selling Sage's high-end ERP solutions. Due to the breath & depth of Sage's ERP software MCC believe it is ideally suited for diversified groups (such as Saudi family business), large trading/distribution, retail companies and manufacturing industries.

"Sage offers customers the guarantee of a stable company & a software vision. The local software competitors can offer neither of these benefits. While we recognize that this is a price sensitive market, customers are willing to pay a premium for the benefits a branded software offers," added Mr Bayram.