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D-Link serious about Armenia

One of the world’s largest companies producing…

By Samvel Avagyan

Below is an interview Armen Shahnazaryan, Head of the D-Link office in Armenia, gave to NEWS.am.

Question: Mr. Shahnazaryan, how much time has passed since D-Link launched its activities in the Armenian market?

Answer: The Yerevan office was opened in July 2007. D-Link’s policy is to open offices in every city with a population exceeding one million. Our aim is to be as close to consumers as possible. Although sales are not too high in Armenia, we decided to open an office here as well, as it is a promising market.

Question: What is the reason why the corporation has no office in Baku?

Answer: The first office in the South Caucasus was opened in Armenia. In 2009, an office was opened in Georgia. When the corporation decides to open an office in Azerbaijan, it will be subordinate to us. It is not a political problem, but that of specialists. Much is talked about personnel in Armenia, but we cannot even imagine our potential. In our office we have two specialists whose technical competence level is unique for the region. For two years we looked for a specialist with a necessary professional level in Georgia, whom we had to train. Their specialist comes to Yerevan for retraining once every three months.

Question: What are your offers to consumers?

Answer: D-Link is one of the world’s largest companies producing network telecommunication technologies. It has two plants, in Taiwan and in China. Any person that has a computer, using Wi-Fi on his mobile needs our products. Our products enable a person to get connected to Internet through a PC or mobile.

Question: Internet sites inform that D-Link is leaving the telecommunication market and plans to focus on the household appliances market. Is it so?

Answer: Of course not. The information appeared on one of the Russian sites as on April Fools' Day. D-Link is not leaving the network technologies field. On the contrary, we have long-term plans.

Question: D-Link decided to sponsor DigiTec Expo 2010. What are your expectations about the exhibition?

Answer: As a rule, D-Link does not sponsor exhibitions, leaving it to distributors. In the territory of the former USSR, it is the third case the corporation has officially decided to sponsor an exhibition. The office’s work has been appreciated over the past three years, but we decided to maintain the existing tendencies in sales. This field is rapidly developing: the Internet price is falling and Internet access is improving. Having Internet at home was a serious problem three years ago, if a person did not live in the city center. Now, however, provides resolve this problem quickly.

Question: In one of your interviews you said the D-Link President would visit Armenia.

Answer: This is a unique case in the former USSR territory. He will be accompanied by Vladimir Lipping, Director of the CIS office, as well as by 40 distributors. They are the largest distributing companies in the CIS. We may also have guests from Turkey and

Israel.