Sales and Customer Management

Why the channel can prepare for a positive 2024

A tough 2023 is in the books, and focus now settles on a fresh 12 months where the narrative can be better across the channel Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

The top 10 channel themes of 2023

What were the main areas of interest in the past 12 months? This handy list of the top 10 should jog memories, stir debate and garner some agreement across the channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Five-minute interview: Hayley Roberts, Distology

The CEO of distributor Distology is the latest to share some personal insights in our five-minute interview profile slot Continue Reading

Malwarebytes enhances MSP offering as DataSolutions looks for vendor growth

Cyber security firm enhances MSP offering after reporting strong demand for the services, while elsewhere, distributor reveals intention to grow its vendor portfolio Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Where channel marketing is going in 2024

As the year of the dragon, 2024 is likely to ignite new challenges, but will it spark a revolution in partner marketing? Asks Helen Curtis, founding director at Coterie Continue Reading

By

• Helen Curtis, founding director at Coterie

Vast Data channel boss ramping up support for partners

Plans for a fresh partner programme, more services options and increased support for those keen to get involved with AI all on the cards for early next year Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

TD Synnex offers channel sustainability education

Distributor launches course to arm more partners with the information needed to reduce their carbon footprint Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

More managed services to come

Stew Parkin, Global CTO at Assured Data Protection, thinks more channel players will use specialists for managed services, while customers will pay up front to beat inflation Continue Reading

By

• Stew Parkin, Global CTO at Assured Data Protection

Dell: Channel will need to provide AI reassurances

Dell research exposes levels of hesitancy among UK customers over artificial intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The evolution of the distributor: From credit lines to sales acceleration

Matt Paynter, vendor alliances director, UK and Ireland at Exclusive Networks compares the then and now in Distribution Continue Reading

By

• Matt Paynter, vendor alliances director, UK and Ireland at Exclusive Networks

Softcat: Security remains top customer concern going into 2024

Channel player’s research reveals the areas where users are going to prioritise spending in the year ahead Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel roundup: Who’s gone where?

A few channel moves this week caught the eye as firms continue to look for growth and hire experience Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

SME IT firms feeling positive about 2024

Findings from There Business will make cheery reading for those hoping that the narrative will change next year and become more upbeat Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel roundup: Who’s gone where?

The start of a fresh month has seen the personnel moves continue to pile up Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Seven steps to a successful CX journey

Rob Morris, head of customer success at Nebula Global Services, examines why it’s more vital than ever to keep customers engaged Continue Reading

By

• Rob Morris, Head of Customer Success at Nebula Global Services

Getting the channel balance right

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Five-minute interview: Claudia Hebden, CrowdStrike

The director of Northern European Alliances at CrowdStrike, Claudia Hebden, is the latest to share some personal insights Continue Reading

Getting the channel balance right

The majority of IT spending will go via partners, but it is never as simple as that and proceedings will need to be handled right for a more opportunistic future Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Hybrid work and peripherals

Ahead of International E-Waste Day Neil MacDonald, UK&I Channel Director, HP , shares the vendor's progress on the recycling front Continue Reading

By

• Neil MacDonald, UK&I Channel Director, HP

Canalys: Vendors will expand channel relationships

The partner-first trend is set to continue as more vendors recognise value of partners and give them the chance to take on a greater share of the business Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

BNZSA cuts ribbon on marketing as a service offering

Firm is looking to help improve channel marketing efforts with a concierge service that will provide high levels of support Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Avoiding making a waste of choice

There is a lot of choice out there but getting it right is not always easy as Billy Macinnes discovers Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Memories of Nick Booth

MicroScope editor Simon Quicke reflects on his relationship with the publication’s long-time contributor Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Daisy: Customers keeping a continuing eye on costs

Comms player shares research that underlines the ongoing impact the economic landscape is having on customer behaviour Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

A closer look at XLAs and what they mean for managed IT

Matt Baker, services consultant art Littlefish, lifts the lid on experience level agreements Continue Reading

By

• Matt Baker, services consultant art Littlefish

Unlocking the combined value of the channel

Adam Williamson, sales director at Exclusive Networks UK, takes a look at how to unlock the combined value of the channel Continue Reading

By

• Adam Williamson, sales director at Exclusive Networks UK,

Managed services players expose hybrid working challenges

Research from a couple of MSPs indicates that in the financial services sector and the NHS, the technology to support remote working is not meeting employee needs Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

ISVs, AI and multicloud on Oracle channel chief’s to-do list

The vendor is looking to make sure its partners deliver high levels of customer experience and can take advantage of emerging opportunities Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: The pressure to deliver

With technology always changing, it can feel like an impossible feat to keep up – we speak to experts about how the channel handles rapid change and the pressure this places on partners to meet customer expectations. Also read about major themes of the market and how the topic of return on investments needs to stretch beyond economics Continue Reading

Why we need to change ROI – today

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The pressure to be cutting edge in the channel

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Trustmarque refreshes brand identity

The time is deemed to be right to give its logo and website a lick of paint as channel player Trustmarque looks to continue growing its mid-market business Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Why we need to change ROI – today

Time-value creation, rather than just economic concepts, play a part in how we measure success when it comes to marketing and sales growth, says Helen Curtis, founder of Coterie Community Continue Reading

By

• Helen Curtis, founder of Coterie Community

The pressure to be cutting edge in the channel

The industry is good at encouraging customers to buy the latest and greatest tech, but the channel often has to pick up the pieces when expectations fail to be met Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Marketing becoming harder as customers change behaviour

Findings from Twilio have exposed how buyers are reacting in different ways and old approaches are losing their impact Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel round-up: Who’s gone where?

Highlights from the personnel moves across the industry that have been made in the past week Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

GTDC: Distributors are force-multipliers for innovation

The role of disties in driving technological change was the central theme at the Global Technology Distribution Council’s EMEA Summit Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The balance between profit and purpose

Billy MacInnes looks at the challenges for those that want to make money but also do the right thing by the planet Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

EMEA channel leading the way on sustainability

Canalys survey indicates that the issue is a priority for the global channel, but some have moved faster than others Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Westcon-Comstor continues with sustainability drive

Distributor outlines ambition to use renewable electricity across its global organisation by 2030 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

GTDC: Distribution accelerating innovation

Organisation representing distribution highlights the role its members can play in bringing emerging technologies to the broader channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: Take a balanced approach to security

In this issue, read about how to help customers manage their security portfolios in a world of increasingly complex systems, discover how insights are providing more opportunities for partners, and learn whether being an MSP is enjoyable or not Continue Reading

SAP connecting consultants and partners

Vendor’s talent portal aims to make it easier for the channel to find expert staff and plug skills gaps Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Logicalis CEO: Sustainability efforts being accelerated

The threats to the planet are mounting and efforts to reduce carbon are continuing at channel player Logicalis, with the firm taking a managed services approach to helping customers improve their positions Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel widens supplier relationships to extend choice

In the hunt for products at a good price, the procurement ecosystem has widened – but that has caused its own problems Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Listen more, talk less

If a vendor wants to improve their relationship with the channel, it might be simply be a case of listening more, writes Billy MacInnes Continue Reading

Dell: Channel can help plug innovation gap

Vendor’s research reveals a large number of customers are not taking a lead in innovation, which is where the channel can step in to help Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Partnerships key to supporting channel sustainability

Research from Agilitas IT Solutions reveals the importance of choosing the right collaborator if a VAR or MSP is going to hit their ESG targets Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Jigsaw24 inspiring female channel participation

Channel player has indicated that after a couple of events promoting diversity, it’s making it a major theme this year Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Improving channel relationships: Listen more, talk less

If a vendor wants to improve their relationship with the channel, it might be as simple as listening more Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

MicroScope: The benefits of security certifications

In this month’s MicroScope ezine, we look at how industry-recognised certifications can strengthen business defences. We also see how ChatGPT offers the channel a chance to level the playing field. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Five-minute interview: Steve Nurton, WithSecure

We get the chance to find out a bit more about Steve Nurton, WithSecure's head of channel sales Continue Reading

ChatGPT offers the channel a chance to level the playing field

There is a lot of hype around the AI-driven content generating tool – and it could genuinely help the channel – but there are risks involved. Continue Reading

Agilitas strategy already yielding results

Agilitas has been through plenty of changes recently, but the response from customers to its strategy has been positive Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

How genuine is Artificial intelligence?

Using artificial intelligence seems to be a smart business move but Nick Booth just wishes those benefits could be explained a bit more clearly Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

CIOs reaching out to the channel for support

Dealing with pressures to innovate with tight budgets and sort out the overhanging issues after the pandemic means many customers require help Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Daisy backs Girlguiding recycling efforts

Channel player sponsors recycling badge as it looks to encourage greater understanding of the issues around end-of-life technology Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

HP building on sustainability programme

Almost two years after the supplier launched Amplify impact, its UK channel boss has indicated there is more to come Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

HP Amplify Impact: What’s next for the sustainability programme?

Almost two years since its launch, there’s strong progress and an exciting future for the industry’s leading partner sustainability programme Continue Reading

By

• Neil Macdonald, UK & Ireland Channel Director, HP

Five-minute interview: Erik Nicolai, Workspace 365

Another candidate answers the questions and reveals a little bit more about themselves and their role in the channel. This time, we chat to Workspace 365 founder Erik Nicolai Continue Reading

MicroScope: Steering the storage market

In this issue, read all about how the storage world is continuing to evolve as it looks to the cloud, security and ESG compliance requirements. Also discover six steps to making your business more sustainable and read about how IBM’s channel boss is set to make a difference. Continue Reading

ChatGPT offers the channel a chance to level the playing field

There is a lot of hype around the AI content generating tool – and it could genuinely help the channel – but there are some risks involved Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Ricoh exposes gap in workplace transformation experiences

Channel alerted to disconnect between employers’ views of tech success and disappointed staff responses Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

CIOs look to the channel as they increase their strategic role

Logicalis shines a light on the changing demands on IT leaders and the increasing reliance many have on partners Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

TD Synnex shares report on ESG progress

Distributor outlines the steps it’s taken in the past year, as well as the targets it’s committed to in the future Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Five-minute interview: Mike Sheppard, Panasas 

MicroScope gets the chance to find out a bit more about Mike Sheppard, director of channels and alliances at Panasas  Continue Reading

Shift to Partner Plus more than a programme refresh for IBM

Big Blue’s recent update to its channel programme was a couple of years in the making, and is about more than the usual tiers, rebates and enablement Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Looking to make your business more sustainable?

Flex IT’s UK sales manager, Ashley Ross, sets out six simple steps to help make a difference in green ambitions Continue Reading

By

• Ashley Ross, UK sales manager, Flex IT

Partner reality – what you need to know about the Metaverse

Helen Curtis, CEO, Coterie Community, examines what the channel needs to know about emerging virtual worlds Continue Reading

By

• Helen Curtis, CEO, Coterie Community

MicroScope: Opportunities in security

In this month’s issue, we explore the possibilities for the channel to make its mark with security services, and take a closer look at whether the ChatGPT revolution brings more benefits or negatives with it Continue Reading

Why a Microsoft 365 security assessment is good for business

Jason Rothwell, solutions architect at Littlefish, believes the auditing process delivers some positives for customers Continue Reading

By

• Jason Rothwell, solutions architect at Littlefish

Channel marketers looking to work more closely together

Collaboration seen as a key way for marketers to improve their ability to deal with key issues emerging in 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Do you delight or alienate your customers?

Are you doing the best to please your customers? David Tebbut shares some thoughts on the subject Continue Reading

By

• David Tebbutt

The themes of 2023 for the channel

A fresh year is looming and it’s already clear what most of the major themes will be, including security, sustainability and hybrid working Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Need to be green stretching across the industry

It’s clear that sustainability is going to be one of the key areas the channel and IT vendors will need to focus on next year Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Incentives are a complementary activity

Having investigated the current attitudes to incentives across the channel, Billy MacInnes shares some more thoughts on the issue Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

What makes a good partner incentive programme?

Everyone reacts to incentives, but they need to be thought through – and some programmes are better than others Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Logicalis CEO: Sustainability is non-negotiable

The future of the planet is uncertain, but more efforts are being made across the channel to ensure the IT industry is taking positive steps to improve the situation Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: Dealing with rising prices

With prices rising, many are looking at what costs to cut – yet in the channel, the opposite might prove for better business. In this issue, read about how to navigate the cost issue, learn about the growing area of security, and learn about how to create a more appealing employment experience to attract talent Continue Reading

Westcon-Comstor on its journey to decarbonise

Distributor has invested in its ESG team and is committed to making a positive difference Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope at 40: The collapse of civilisation, time travel, and things that did not happen

Long time MicroScope contributor Nick Booth looks back over the history of the magazine and ponders on which expectations failed to be realised Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

TD SYNNEX: Security and services driving growth

Distributor shares research that shines a light on the current state of the European channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Cisco supporting partners with digital marketing shift

Vendor shares numbers that underline the positive impact of its Lifecycle Advantage programme Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

SCC Academy launched to boost digital skills across Midlands

Channel player invests in training hub to give thousands the chance to gain digital skills Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

May the fourth be with you: entering the final quarter with cautious optimism

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Westcoast merges with German player Komsa

The alliance between Westcoast and Komsa will create an operation that covers the UK, Ireland, France and Germany Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope at 40: Antonio Neri, HPE

President and CEO of HPE shares his thoughts about the past and future of the channel as MicroScope marks its 40th anniversary Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Softcat continues to push sustainability efforts

Firm’s CFO and designated next CEO provides an update on the channel player’s progress Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Schneider Electric: Sustainability is a team sport

Vendor Schneider Electric vows to do its bit to help partners get up to speed on establishing a green strategy, and to help customers to meet their own ESG objectives Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Canalys: Partners have the power

The channel has got to a size and a position where it is a serious industry in its own right – and that will have an impact on ecosystem relationships Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Goodbye Tech Data, hello TD SYNNEX

With the merger completed, the rebranding of the distributor takes effect across most of the world Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Context: Resellers value relationship with distribution

Latest tranche of findings from channel watcher reveal a solid partnership between the two tiers Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Powering strong partnerships for successful digital transformation

César Cernuda, president at NetApp, shares his thoughts about the need for collaboration to support success Continue Reading

By

• César Cernuda, NetApp

May the fourth be with you as you enter the final quarter with cautious optimism

The last three months of the year represent the busiest time for the channel as targets are aimed for and the year goes down as a success or failure Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

MicroScope at 40: Rola Dagher, Dell Technologies

Dell’s channel chief shares her thoughts about the past and future of the channel as MicroScope marks its anniversary Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Where next for the channel?

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A history of MicroScope

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The channel: Four decades of change

To celebrate MicroScope’s 40th anniversary, we ask channel leaders to reflect on the changes seen over the past four decades – a shift to software, and the emergence of the managed service provider and the cloud are among the highlights Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The evolution of distribution

To mark the 40th anniversary of MicroScope, Frank Vitagliano, CEO at GTDC, shares his thoughts on the journey that the channel has been on for the last four decades and beyond Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

BT Wholesale reveals channel marketing concerns

Comms player shares research that reveals worries across the industry about the ability to market brand and capabilities effectively Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor