Analysts speak at first-ever IT marketing forum
Analysts take part in a discussion at the BASIS IT Marketing Forum, at Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the city yesterday. Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services (BASIS) organised the daylong event. Photo:Star
IT entrepreneurs yesterday called for introduction of a revenue sharing model to help them collaborate with large local companies and take the industry forward.
“The big local companies can support the good ideas of the small IT companies now and reap in reward later on. It is a win-win situation,” Kamal S Quadir, chief executive of bKash, said.
His comment came at the first-ever Information Technology Marketing Forum, organised by Bangladesh Association of Software & Information Services (BASIS) at the capital’s Radisson Hotel.
“Our IT companies are making very good products for the foreign companies, but due to a lack of confidence we are not developing products for the local market,” Russell T Ahmed, secretary general of BASIS, said at a panel discussion on “marketing: investment or expenditure?”
Kazi Monirul Kabir, country consultant for Google, said Bangladesh is failing to attract large foreign investment in the IT sector due to the absence of a proper ecosystem.
He also emphasised the need for marketing and brand building. “I don’t see any debate whether marketing is an expenditure or investment. Marketing is obviously an investment as it is integrated with the growth of the business.”
“Setting a vision is the key to developing a strong organisation as it keeps the company in the right direction,” Gousul Alam Shaon, managing director of Grey Bangladesh, said. The advertising executive, however, said it is challenging to market an IT product.
Prabeer Sarkar, chief executive of Kaspersky Bangladesh, stressed the need for localisation in a bid to reach out to the masses. “Localisation, especially for the Bangladeshi market, is very important as 91 percent of the software available here is pirated.”
Sudhir Nair, senior vice-president of India Grey Digital, said social media has brought out a revolution in communication, which companies should make full use of to reach its target easily. Shameem Ahsan, senior vice-president of BASIS, also spoke.
Four separate sessions on different aspects of IT marketing were held at the forum with a view to realise the full potential of the country’s IT industry, which employs around 70,000 professionals.
The industry size is estimated to be Tk 2,500 crore ($400 million) at present.
The Daily Star is the knowledge partner of the event, Kaspersky and SSL Commerz are the silver partners and GPIT is the gold partner.
Source: The Daily Star
