CHG-MERIDIAN Launches in New Zealand

The international CHG-MERIDIAN Group is one of the world’s leading independent providers of technology management services to the IT, industrial, and healthcare sectors. With some 1,200 employees, the Company offers its customers comprehensive support for their technology infrastructure – from consulting, financial, and operational services to used-equipment remarketing services.

CHG-MERIDIAN serves more than 10,000 customers in 28 countries across the globe and the online-based TESMA® Technology and Service Management System provides more than 15,000 users with maximum transparency in technology management. The business has been providing efficient and customised planning, implementation, and financing for technology investments since 1979. 

In 2018, the company made the largest acquisition in the history of CHG-MERIDIAN, by purchasing Sydney-based technology financing business Equigroup.  Next to the running business of equigroup, the Company has now launched a second and newly created CHG-MERIDIAN entity in New Zealand region.

Christian Brakensiek, Executive Vice President of Sales, and Stephen Kerr, Vice President of Sales, have a plan to bring the best added value to new customers in the region.

Christian: We are continuing our international growth strategy. We’ve had a successful business in New Zealand for over 30 years operating under our Equigroup subsidiary, especially in the Healthcare space. Launching the CHG-MERIDIAN brand brings a level of independence and enhanced service capability that enables us to deliver more innovative and customised solutions to our customers.

Stephen: CHG-MERIDIAN operates in 28 countries, with a focus on serving our international customers. We need to be where they operate, and several customers have been eager to work with us in New Zealand. New Zealand customers have a mature understanding of leasing and can appreciate value-added services. We are excited to support our existing and new customers by building upon the good reputation we already have in the market. Our New Zealand Country Manager, Dave Crozier, was with the Equigroup business for five years, and he will continue to support Equigroup customers and grow the CHG business in New Zealand. 

Christian: We are completely independent of manufacturers and banks. This allows us to provide our customers with individual and neutral advice. We support our customers in the implementation of their technology acquisitions with an external view and, on top of that, provide the appropriate financing and efficient management throughout its lifecycle with our proprietary technology and service management platform TESMA®. CHG-MERIDIAN also has an expanded asset focus. In addition to Information Technology and Healthcare, we also have a strong focus on industrial equipment, enabling us to support other asset classes and industries. 

Stephen: When working with clients, one of our main objectives is to look at the assets they have in their business and work side by side to reduce the total cost of ownership of that technology. We bring a lot more control and transparency into a customer’s processes, especially around understanding how much technology really costs and how to best manage that cost-efficiently. This is important to CFOs and CIOs, especially today.

The services we provide enable customers to outsource non-essential services to drive efficiencies and reduce costs. We also pay particular attention to the employee experience and service technology and our customer’s employees where they are located, which is especially important in the current hybrid working environment.

Stephen: An exciting innovation that we recently announced is our ability to provide carbon-neutral financing through our product carbonZER0. This is a first to market product to help customers achieve a carbon-neutral IT fleet and their sustainability targets. The core of our business model has always been based on the concept of the circular economy. We manage equipment through its life and responsibly refurbish assets, thus avoiding waste to landfill. This helps customers avoid technology obselence, keep up to date with the latest technology and know they are working with a sustainable and ethical partner.

Christian: Volatility and uncertainty in the market pressures companies to scrutinise how and where they invest for growth. As they re-emerge from lockdown, businesses will be looking to rebound and recover lost ground. To do this, they must act with speed and agility and invest in their operations and employees. The increased threat of cyber-attacks on vulnerable systems will also be on the agenda. Having the right partner at their side will help them better manage these challenges. 

Stephen: Uncertainty, supply of equipment and getting the right technology are core challenges that businesses will experience in 2022. Maintaining a robust balance sheet during times of uncertainty is important. Another challenge is managing a hybrid work environment as a business as usual – it’s not just emergency management during a pandemic. The new normal is going to be hybrid. 

Supply of equipment will continue to be a challenge. The planning for technology acquisitions needs to take stock availability into perspective, and supplier relationships are critical and need to be managed properly. Many rollouts are delayed or need to be adjusted to match stock availability, so customers need to work with a flexible and nimble partner who can respond quickly to changing scenarios.

Another issue we are seeing is whether the customer’s technology is fit for purpose. The continued developments in operating system applications are making older systems redundant. And many customers who rushed out to purchase consumer-grade devices at the start of the pandemic find these systems aren’t meeting their performance or security standards. We work with customers to help them critically assess their technology fleet and future needs and help them implement a customised solution.

Christian: In simple terms, growth. Growth for our brand recognition, our reputation as a trusted partner and growth in the number of assets we manage for our customers. 

Stephen: We now have an improved capability to service our customers and provide an international focus for businesses that operate across borders. We want to build on our success in the healthcare and IT sectors and expand our industrial business. We want to become recognised as a leader in providing cost-effective and customised technology finance solutions.