Armand Batalla and Erwyn AlcomendrasADTEL Inc. vice president for Sales Armand Batalla and director for Channel Distribution Erwyn Alcomendras say a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit is the Lopez Value that most resonates with them as they help chart the future of the company.

“The Lopez Value of a pioneering entrepreneurial spirit is what we use most in our work. We should always be on the lookout for new technologies or businesses because the existing ones may not last long. Adtel being in the technology business, obsolescence is a challenge that we will always encounter. The existing business that we have now may just die naturally over time because of a better or newer technology that is more efficient and economical for the customers. Before the current businesses end, a new one should already be in place to ensure business continuity and growth for Adtel,” says Batalla, who joined the company in 1996 as business development officer for Wireless Products.

Encouraged to be entrepreneurs

“Since I joined Adtel in 1999, we were told to treat our business unit as if it were our own. We were given the flexibility to choose what products to carry, what margins to aim for. We were encouraged to be entrepreneurs, to find a business that would give the best value to customers as well as sustainable profits to the company,” recalls Alcomendras, who had joined the company as business development officer for Telephony, reporting to then manager and department head Andrew Ramos, now company president.

Alcomendras left Adtel in 2006 to work for himself, getting his license to sell real estate and at the same time doing business development consultancy. On the invitation of friends who remained with Adtel, he rejoined the company in 2015 and led his department to achieve P1 billion in annual gross sales for the first time in 2018. It is Channel Distribution which distributes Baron antennae and ABS-CBN TVplus.

To sustain this performance, Alcomendras says it is essential to introduce new products in the market so that Adtel will be eventually known as a “distribution company specializing in smart technologies.”

Nationwide expansion

For Batalla, his main challenge is for his team to support the business demand for SKYdirect, the DTH (directto-home) service of Sky Cable Corporation. Adtel is currently the exclusive importer and distributor of SKYdirect equipment.

“Being a new player in the industry, SKYdirect is very aggressive in getting a share of the DTH market. Our team has to ensure that we can deliver SKYdirect with the guaranteed quality and service level availability nationwide. To cope with this demand, we expanded our operation nationwide by having regional offices and warehouses in key cities in the Visayas (Bacolod and Iloilo) and Mindanao (Davao). The expansion of our operation allows us to expedite the delivery and warranty support of the DTH equipment we are supplying to the distributors of SKYdirect who sell directly the DTH service to the endusers,” he says.

Able to adapt to changes

Going forward, Batalla believes Adtel “should be able to adapt to the changes in the business demands of our customers and use technology as a tool to be different and competitive in the market.” He adds: “We want to be a major contributor to the business growth of all our customers by supplying quality products and services. This in return will have a significant impact on the business growth of Adtel.”

Alcomendras is grateful that work at Adtel allows him to pursue socio-civic interests such as outreach programs of the Rotary Club where he is active. “We are a goal-driven company, being able to volunteer for meaningful outreach at the same time is fulfilling. And if you like what you do, it’s doesn’t feel like work at all.”

Batalla thanks first the Lopez family for their continued support for Adtel. “Our utmost appreciation also to the other members of the Lopez Group companies for continuously supporting products and services from Adtel. Rest assured that we are committed to deliver or exceed your service level expectation as you grow your business.”

Erwyn T. Alcomendras

Armand Batalla