craig taylor

Strategic Vertical solutions for Government, Education and Healthcare within the Southern African countries.

Main functions in this role comprises of Channel Management/ Pre-Sales, assist Business Partners to win with Alcatel solutions. Present to CxO and Director level of Companies to inform and sell them on Alcatel solutions, leading with Alcatel and bringing the BP in later. Train Business Partners regularly on the new technologies being offered by Alcatel, WiFi, Security and new OEM agreement. Check all BP's solutions to ensure that they will work, mainly involving large designs. Ensure at all times that the Business Partners are successful, hence ensuring targets are met and our market penetration in growing. As I was alone in country at the time my role was kind of everything until the business justified growth in Country.

Initially started off as a Field engineer, installing a large range of Modems and Multiplexers for IBM mainframe and FEP solutions. Later networks began to migrated from Arcnet to Ethernet and routers developed from OSI routers, was chosen for the design and implementation of the largest router network in RSA, close to 2000 Router Nodes (South African Post Office), classified as the 10th largest in the world. Was involved in the first OSPF implementation and route summary implementation in South Africa. Once the network was installed moved on the a team of Professional Engineers whose prime role was to provide high technical support for field engineers and key customers who's issue could not be resolved. Also Certified on Xyplex products and Bay networks products. During this period I had been involved with many different products and evaluated different products for company standardisation. To name a few products- Bay Networks (Routers and Switches+ Management), Cisco Routers and Switches and Management, RAD, Micom MUX and VoIP, 3Com, HP, Cabletron, Xyplex. Etc.

Worked in the proffesional services group. We were senior support engineers to support the remote field engineers should they encouter any onsite difficulties which they could not resolve.

Joined Telkom SA in January 1988 as a school leaver apprentice. During the first 3 years I received extensive training on all the different telecommunication solutions, specialising in Data Communications for Telkom (Diginet). After qualifying went on to install at the time the newly introduced Diginet service, which was an n x 64Kb/s Dedicated Digital TDM service for Private Data networks (First in Country). During this period was educated on the technique of fault finding which has formed the basis of Craig technical abilities in this industry today.

Main functions in this role is solution design architect, working on turn-key projects, with customers and partners, positioning our products and solutions with the customer and closing the deal. Involving voice, data, security and UC&C applications either wired or wireless convergent solutions, preparing the needed presentations which were given to CxO's, IT Managers etc to secure the business. As well as keeping abreast the latest technologies to assist company directors (CIO, CEO, CTO, IT Directors) on making the right strategic investment which will ensure business growth, development and customer satisfaction. This I did across the sub Saharan region (22 Countries) I am also responsible in keeping the partners updated and knowledgeable of the Alcatel-Lucent product portfolio and unique vertical solutions in the market to assist them in beating the competition and developing with Alcatel-Lucent. Which involves Proof of Concept, demonstration and Road shows, computer fairs etc.