A major new initiative from Qtel will offer Qatar's small business owners and managers the chance to be among the first companies in the region to learn about new solutions designed specifically for their sector by Qatar's leading Telecom operator. The Qtel Business Solutions (QBS) team is organizing a series of specially-convened workshop sessions for companies in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Small Office / Home Office (SOHO) sectors across Qatar. According to a study from research agency Frost & Sullivan, nearly 90 percent of new telephony and communications products released last year targeted the SMB segment, reflecting the international interest in this sector. However, with so many solutions on the market, Qtel is hoping that their independent advice will help businesses in Qatar better understand which solution best suits their needs. At the sessions, Qtel will present some of the latest research on productivity, communication improvements and cost management delivered through new technology for small businesses, as well as offering companies the chance to investigate the next generation of BlackBerry, wireless communication and mobile solutions. The first event, held on April 28 at the Four Seasons Hotel, Doha, brought together over 140 professionals. It provided an opportunity for companies to learn more about the latest breakthroughs in small business communication, through product demonstrations and questions and answers sessions with experts. Eng. Khalid Abdulla Al-Mansouri, Executive Director of Business Solutions, Qtel, said: “Small businesses are the backbone of Qatar's economy and Qtel has unmatched experience in providing dedicated solutions in this area. We wanted to build on our experience to offer some real insight for our customers into the tools and practices that can help their companies be more competitive, so we have launched this new season of workshops.” “As well as providing an important update for customers, these gatherings will allow us to benefit from the ideas and opinions of our customers. We are able to listen to their views and this can influence the development of the services we provide them, to better cater to their demands and needs,” he added. The gathering comes as part of Qtel's Business Solutions Unit strategy that aims to continue to develop solutions and services for the small and medium sector. The formation of the Business Solutions Unit has played a significant role in enabling the telecoms service provider to expand its role in providing more complex and sophisticated ICT solutions for clients. Qtel's Business Solutions Unit combines sales, services, marketing, product management, back office, engineering data center, and call center teams with many years combined experience, skills and expertise. In April, Qtel's workshop session on its new online payment solution, BillXpress, drew representatives from over 100 companies. The company continues to look for ways to enhance Qatari companies' competitiveness, and drive the growth of the knowledge-based economy. Qtel is the telecommunications service provider licensed by the Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology to provide both fixed and mobile telecommunications services in Qatar.
