Plan B: Solar power and satellite Internet
ata Consult, a provider of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions, is boosting its overseas sales to offset the slump on the local market. It has also come up with suitable solutions. The company sells its software solutions in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. Besides the Saudi market, Data Consult is securing deals in other GCC countries and in sub-Saharan Africa. “We were focusing on the Saudi market because it is the largest in the Gulf region but Qatar is also a promising market as well as Kuwait,” Houayek said. He said there are also growing prospects for entering North African markets and that they are also seeking to enter the European market through partners in France. “We will first start in France which will also be a stepping stone for entering other European countries,” he said. In order to ease the concerns of its foreign clients about a potential disruption of its services amid fuel shortages and Internet problems, the company has taken measures to secure Internet connection legally via satellites without having to resort to Ogero in case the national Internet connection fails. “We have also prepared ourselves to operate on solar energy if diesel becomes unavailable,” Houayek said. “We are adapting to the situation on a weekly basis. We are providing gasoline to our employees at the company’s expense so that they don’t waste their time waiting in long lines at gas stations,” he said. The company is working to increase online sales which were launched four to five years ago. “We used to call our potential online customers. Under the new model, our message reaches potential customers unknown to us who take the initiative and buy our solutions online,” Houayek said. Data Consult is also relying more on social media to market its solutions.
