The Metra Group is one of the Middle East’s leading technology distributors, boasting an impressive 35+ years history and operations spanning 11 countries. Moreover, with a very diversified product range, taking in everything from pcs to data centres and cloud solutions, it is looking to define the future of the industry through developing the very latest technology in tandem with unrivalled customer service. We talk to Mohamed Eissa, executive vice president of Metra Group to find out more.
Serving over 5,000 resellers across the Middle East, Metra provides access to the latest technologies through its extensive financing programmes, technology services and logistics infrastructure. The group is now heavily investing in the region to capture a lot of the future growth opportunities in the Small and Medium Business (SMB) and enterprise segments.
“The dynamic change and constant innovation in technology creates lots of opportunities in the marketplace”
Mohamed Eissa, Executive Vice President, Metra Group
“It creates new product categories and solutions, which generate demand and new opportunities for technology distributors in the market,” explains Mohamed Eissa, Executive Vice President, Metra Group.
“With Dubai being the centre of Asia, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, DP World’s Jebel Ali hub provides access to these markets and the ease of doing more business,” adds Eissa. One of the latest innovations transforming the way we do business is Bizzmo. A business-to-business online marketplace, Bizzmo allows companies to grow their businesses by expanding their networks of potential customers and suppliers. This allows them to share business opportunities and negotiate deals from anywhere around the globe.
“We deliver online seamless end-to-end distribution as a service platform that expands business capabilities through various tools,”
says Eissa.
These tools include:
- Empowering suppliers by introducing them to new markets, customers and channels across MEA
- Empowering customers by introducing them to new suppliers and sources across the globe
- Exploring new products, technologies, opportunities and negotiate the best prices
- Enabling local and international shipping from suppliers to customers through a real-time online delivery management system
- Elevating financing capacity by providing a range of payment options and credit lines between suppliers and customers
now with an online platform, Bizzmo can handle thousands of suppliers and customers
So how did metra come up with Bizzmo?
Eissa takes up the story: “There is a need to change the business models today. Distribution needs to evolve from the way we currently manage products, pricing, inventory, buying and selling to a seamless online platform. By implementing the latest AI technologies rather than having bandwidth limitations of managing 30-50 suppliers as a distributor, now with an online platform, Bizzmo can handle thousands of suppliers and customers.
“We use our Jebel Ali routes for Bizzmo as we do for Metra currently, where most of the trade between the East and West passes through. It gives us exposure to not one country but the international market. We also enjoy the ease of doing business and tax advantages of being in Jafza.
“We offer shipping and credit services and only charge a service fee if the transaction is successful on the platform, otherwise it’s free to use and explore products. It’s free to join, too.”
Moreover, there are proposals in the pipeline to ensure that Bizzmo continues to evolve and expand, with both one- year and five-year plans laid out.
One-year plan
First year, the main objective is to get the customer experience right. And to make sure Bizzmo delivers on the best customer experience, from identifying the right supplier to getting the best value propositions on the platform in terms of products, prices, logistics, credit and financial services.
Five-year plan
Bizzmo will evolve from being only a platform for electronics to a trade platform across different categories of goods. It will also be present in at least 50 countries.
Bizzmo has already enjoyed considerable success. “Xiaomi, for instance, is one of the leading mobile phone brands in China, with ambitious plans to penetrate the UAE and GCC markets. Bizzmo was successful in facilitating transactions through its online platform for Xiaomi products and its distributor in the UAE to provide supply chain, logistics and financing services to enable them to do more business,” says Eissa.
“Digital transformation, technology and AI are changing the way we do business,” Eissa continues. “In today’s world, you are either disrupting or being disrupted. If you look at Airbnb, it has more than 50 million users in 57,000 cities without owning a single hotel room. Uber is the largest transportation company in the world without owning a single car.
“When it comes to trade of goods, in the past we bartered and traded our way around the globe. We would meet in city squares, in caravans, at unfamiliar ports, trade shows and exhibitions. We would compare our options, we would spend time together, trade whatever we could offer to each other.
“Now, Bizzmo transforms that basic human interaction into a seamless platform
designed to promote economic opportunities for businesses by enabling people to electronically meet, interact, market, negotiate deals and sell products and services in a network of trusted relationships.”
- Founded in 1982
- 29+ Locations
- 11 Countries
- 500 Employees across Middle East
- 5,000 Partners active across the region
“Digital transformation, technology and AI are changing the way we do business”
Mohamed Eissa, Executive Vice President, Metra Group.