Sales and Customer Management

Commercial PC growth better for channel than consumer PC growth

The commercial PC segment experienced a 15% sales increase in July, while consumer sales dropped by 2% – but that’s better than the other way round Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Users struggling to get hold of digital skills

Research has found that a lot of customers are not able to take advantage of the latest technology because they do not have the in-house expertise needed to adapt and adopt it Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Tech Data CEO points to Q2 results as validation of strategy

Rich Hume is keen to move the firm to higher value solutions and viewed the second quarter results as a sign that the strategy is delivering Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Interview: Graeme Watt, CEO of Softcat

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How to help businesses reach their digital goals

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Channel advice: How to spend the holiday weeks

Staff might be coming and going topping up their tans but there is still plenty that the channel can do both internally and crucially externally with customers Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Cyber security and the channel

Leading lights in the industry give their assessment of where the cyber security market is headed in the second half of 2019 Continue Reading

How to help businesses reach their digital goals

With digital transformation a hot trend in IT right now, the channel’s ability to help organisations hit the sweet spot in this pursuit could attract a lot of attention from potential customers Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Control or shift – channel’s role in the move to business-led IT

What impact could the shift to business-led IT have on channel partners’ role with customers and the relationships they have grown and developed within customer organisations? Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Digital transformation leadership a problem for users

NTT research has highlighted issues around the expertise of those leading digital transformation efforts and Kyocera has highlighted the need to concentrate on people as well as technology Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel taking steps to improve customer experience

CompTIA has found that resellers are starting to get on board with improving customer experience strategies to remain competitive Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Cisco increasing channel digital marketing support

Vendor brings together various marketing initiatives under one umbrella to help the channel reach out to customers more effectively Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Interview: Simon England, Nuvias CEO

With the first quarter of his tenure completed the boss of Nuvias shared his thoughts about his role leading the distributor Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Ethos Technology building on Pure signing

Distributor has landed a relationship with Pure Storage and is looking to build on that moment over the rest of 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Interview: Graeme Watt, CEO of Softcat

Softcat boss talk about office openings, organic growth and why he doesn't lie awake at night worrying about the future of the channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

What makes a great managed security service provider?

With an increasingly challenging threat landscape, being a successful MSSP can be a struggle. Making sure customers stay safe is critical to the success of your business, which is why understanding what makes a great MSSP is crucial for you to be able to make informed choices that will prove beneficial to the company Continue Reading

By

• Ryan Compagnone, Edgescan

Brexit leading to increased customer caution

CFOs and tech startup entrepreneurs are both showing risk aversion with Brexit the cause of most of the problems Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Retail driving spending in CX market

There have been examples of the channel gaining customer experience expertise in the past few weeks and no wonder given the IDC growth forecasts for the technology Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Connect Managed Services and G3 Comms merge

Customer Experience and Unified Comms players bought together to form a £55m revenue business Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

What are the risks of not responding to a critical alarm in time?

When selling management tools, managed service providers need to educate users about the importance of acting on the alarms generated by such equipment Continue Reading

By

• Klaus Allion, ANT Telecom

Amazon rolls out Business Prime offering

Etailer continues to enhance the offering for commercial customers with the addition of Business Prime Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Insight adds muscle on both sides of the Atlantic with PCM buy

Insight has forked out a significant amount to add IT products and services player PCM to the portfolio Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Why organisations cannot afford to get carried away with contact centre success

To build sustainable success in the contact centre world, you need a strong focus on business goals, incremental business gains, teamwork and a culture based on trust Continue Reading

By

• Jeremy Payne, Enghouse Interactive

IoT seen as key revenue and fresh business generator

CompTIA has turned to its emerging technology community to ask what technologies are going to drive opportunities and for the second year IoT has topped the list Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Shifting business model to benefit from the rise in cloud

Channel partners will need to undergo their own version of digital transformation to take full advantage of the shift to cloud Continue Reading

By

• Scott Murphy, Ingram Micro UK

DXC cuts the ribbon on London innovation centre

Firm open to bringing in partners to work on cracking customer digital transformation challenges Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MSPs told to be wary of the CSP model

A channel event in Canada will resonate with managed service players here who are worried about losing customer relationships Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

How to train channel staff

Having trained staff leads to better growth for your business and is something the channel needs to focus on – but how to go about it? Continue Reading

By

• Paul Clapham

HPE adds depth to SME targeted solution

Vendor looking to help SMEs with their digital transformation needs with server, storage and cloud software options Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Softcat provides investor cheer with Q3 update

Channel player continues to deliver the goods with an upbeat third quarter trading update Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

How to make channel sales work

To be effective in channel sales, you have to be a great project manager, able to influence without formal organisational power and operate effectively at every level in an organisation. Read on for advice on how to succeed Continue Reading

By

• Marcus Cauchi and David Davies, Sandler Training (UK)

A bridge too VAR

The expedition from VAR to MSP is not short of challenges but, equipped with the right map, ambitious companies can feel more confident in getting past first base. In the second part of his series, Predatar CEO Alistair Mackenzie takes a closer look at the importance of a strong culture and highlights why marketing should no longer be viewed as an afterthought Continue Reading

By

• Alistair Mackenzie, Predatar

GPC 2019: Dell Technologies highlights channel growth

Dell Technologies demonstrates progress with partners while encouraging cross-selling across expansive portfolio Continue Reading

By

• Christine Horton

Channel getting the transformation message

Research from Agilitas IT has found that an increasing number of resellers are going through a transformation process Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel enjoys a strong start to the year

Just how has this year been going? There is no better way to find out than ask a number of those working in the channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Daisy combines and rebrands channel operation

IT and telco player combines existing channel facing operations into a single entity to make life easier for partners Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Computacenter gets off to a good start

A trading update for Q1 reveals that the growth it enjoyed last year has continued into 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor
• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

VAR from the madding crowd

Predatar’s CEO reflects on the transformation from VAR to MSP, highlighting some of the key milestones and the obvious pitfalls to avoid Continue Reading

By

• Alistair Mackenzie, Predatar

Digital transformation spending flooding across all verticals

IDC is forecasting strong customer investments in digital transformation projects but the channel needs to make sure the focus is on more than just spending on tech Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

SAP users get the chance to rate and compare resellers

A TripAdvisor type system means that customers will be able to click through resellers looking for those with the best skills and ratings Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Data projects failing thanks to skills shortages

The channel should have a role to play in helping enterprise customers execute data initiatives Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel delivers in Q1 for Aerohive and Veeam

Both firms have reported customer numbers are up in the first quarter and acknowledged the role the channel has played in getting that result Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Why software patch management matters

When building a business case for software patch management, focus on its ability to protect against malware, ransomware, phishing and other security threats, thereby reducing the risk of downtime Continue Reading

By

• Ian van Reenan, Datto

Datto looking to increase MSP sales and marketing support

The managed services specialist has shared its list of attributes that make a world class MSP and indicated that it could provide more help to those looking to increase their sales and marketing activities Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Incoming Nuvias boss clear on distributor's value

In the run up to his start date of next month the incoming boss at Nuvias already has ideas on what makes a successful distributor Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Softcat expanding customer base

First half numbers from the channel player indicate that a strategy to widen the customer base is delivering Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Tech Data CEO looking for the higher value

The distributor is continuing to make its move towards higher value business Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Adapt for the era of virtual distribution

Virtual distribution – the delivery of subscription services rather than physical products – is a growing IT trend. We consider what this means for channel businesses and how they can remain relevant in this changing IT world Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Making the business case to create a successful IoT initiative

The internet of things has the potential to address multiple business objectives, but it is not a miracle technology that will provide business benefit in isolation – true value comes only when the wider challenges are considered across all departments Continue Reading

By

• Nick Sacke, Comms365

Those failing to use the channel are missing out on growth

Research from Investec makes it clear that those that fail to use the channel well are losing out on significant amounts of revenue Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Help us to help you – how the customer-first model helps you empower your business

We are in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution, with technologies such as the internet of things, data analytics, artificial intelligence and cloud-based business management tools a regular talking point. But technology alone won’t solve productivity bottlenecks and open new avenues for growth. There is a bigger picture that cannot be ignored – it starts with the customer Continue Reading

By

• Thomas Honoré, Columbus

SMEs failing to embrace innovation

The channel ill need to do a lot of hand holding to help more SMEs embrace some of the latest technological innovations Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel has to do more to help SMEs with IoT and AI

Cloud Industry Forum and Ingram Micro Cloud urge resellers to do more to help users overcome hurdles holding back emerging tech adoption Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Fear of failure a digital transformation barrier

KCOM has taken a closer look at what is holding back customer innovation Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Fear of hard Brexit sparking SME exodus

More firms are looking at relocation as a way of avoiding the worst effects of a hard Brexit Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The channel opportunities in 2019

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What has the channel ever done for digital transformation?

How the channel can play an important role in the drive for digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Karl Roe, Nuvias Group

Dell calls for more digital transformation progress

The vendor has revealed the findings of global research into the progress in the adoption of digital transformation Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Brexit is hitting IT spending

Research confirms what many in the channel had already experienced with customers hitting the pause button on IT projects Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channelling the cloud – building healthy CSP relationships

Creating a successful relationship with cloud service providers is essential for channel partners looking to increase their cloud portfolio. iLand 's director of channel sales has five tips to make the most of the opportunity Continue Reading

By

• Stuart Day, Iland

Channel taking steps to remain relevant

A report from Agilitias IT Solutions looking into the channel's efforts to remain relevant has some encouraging findings Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The channel opportunities in 2019

There are plenty of areas that should excite the channel as the year kicks off Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Insight 2019 technology predictions

Michael Guggemos, CIO of Insight, shares his thoughts about what will be the key issues for the channel in the months ahead Continue Reading

By

• Michael Guggemos, CIO of Insight

2018 review: The main channel themes

With the last days of December drawing near it's time to look back at the year that has passed before we do it all over again in 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

SonicWall increasing local partner support across EMEA

More offices plus extra hires have added depth to the security player's presence across EMEA Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Spectrami aiming to fill VAD gap

The relatively fresh player to the UK market is aiming to provide some of the value added services that it believes larger rivals are missing Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Sabio looks East for latest acquisition

Customer experience player makes a second purchase this year adding both technology and a wider geographical footprint Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Spectrami latest to join list of UK VADs

The UAE based channel player is looking to ramp up its activity across Europe with an independent operation opening in the UK Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Distribution set for a solid year as growth continues through Q3

A market analysis of how distribution across Europe has fared in Q3 from Context indicates that it has all been good so far in 2018 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Enhancing the role of the channel essential for the tech industry

Ben Boswell, Vice President for Europe at World Wide Technology (WWT), discusses how vendors and the channel need to work together to ensure outstanding outcomes for customers Continue Reading

By

• Ben Boswell, Vice President for Europe at World Wide Technology

Tech must be a force for good

VMware CEO shares his belief that the industry has a responsibility to use technology as a positive force in society Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Customers want more automation and better data

A global Cisco study has found that customers looking to innovate need to take the pressure off the IT budget by getting better at predicting where problems might occur Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Microsoft sounds AI warning

Those customers that do not take an interest in artificial intelligence face losing ground and missing out on the benefits Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Exertis plugs Hoover into electricals operation

Plans to grow its position in the small domestic appliance market have been given a boost with the signing of household name Hoover Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Spiceworks: Europe leads in emerging tech

Europe adopting emerging tech in response to GDPR and rising cybersecurity threats Continue Reading

By

• Christine Horton

Services the key to fending off the Amazon Business threat

The retail giant might hoover up the transactional business but those resellers that can provide services will have more chances of retaining customers Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Lenovo pledges to fix channel process issues

The vendor came in for some criticism at the Canalys Channels Forum but responded by vowing to fix the problems in the next six months Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel tensions rising

Competition and strained vendor relationships highlighted as concerns at Canalys Channel Forum Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Online retailers posing threat to distribution

Fears about the likes of Amazon eating into channel revenues are well-grounded according to Context research Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Brexit could hit enterprise investment plans

Deloitte's latest quarterly quizzing of the CFO community makes sobering reading for those hoping that the good times will keep rolling Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

PRM a tool to identify next gen partners

Gut feelings might have helped channel managers make decisions in the past but technology should make it easier and more precise Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Nadella calls for more 'tech intensity'

It's an idea that the channel will have little argument with, that customers need to adopt and build the latest technology Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Could YouView save our home from surveillance marketing by the Big Browser brigade

The IoT-connected home is becoming a location for commercial opportunities for the channel finds Nick Booth Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

Clear Licensing Campaign turns the focus on maintenance contracts

Customers are often paying maintenance without giving it much thought and as a result could be spending too much Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Looking overseas through Brexit tinted glasses

The idea that UK resellers want to expand internationally caught the interest of Billy MacInnes who found that Brexit was having an impact on those dreams Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Computacenter expands European footprint with Misco buy

Misco's operation in the Netherlands becomes part of the Computacenter family after the UK player expands its European reach even further Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The hidden costs of doing business with vendors

Technology is starting to shed light on more of the mechanics of how the channel works with vendors and Nick Booth finds out about one of the latest offerings Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

Vendors under pressure to generate better channel data

The information that a lot of vendors have around rebate, MDF and marketing programmes is nowhere near as good as it should be Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Users feel restricted by vendor contracts and tech choices

There seems to be a gap between the vendor ambitions to make everything simple and what is happening on the ground Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

SMEs changing the bundles approach

Bundles have often been a bit hit and miss but thanks to the need to cater them for SME customers things are improving Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Who wants to be number one?

Vendors have an obsession with being number one in their market but is it really that important wonders Billy MacInnes Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Agony aunt as a service

Impartner’s chief marketing officer Dave R Taylor has some helpful advice for those trying to increase and improve their partner communities Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

Coming back to the channel: why it’s time to rethink reselling

Neil Robertson, CEO of Compleat Software, shares the motivation for the firm's re-engagement with the channel Continue Reading

By

• Neil Robertson, CEO of Compleat Software

Keeping up with pace of IT change a growing problem for customers

Digital transformation might be the aim but getting there is not proving to be easy and that should spell a major opportunity for the channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The bland leading the bland

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Automation a major focus at UKFast

UKFast has created a chief technology officer role to ensure it can continue to automate more processes across its business Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Quadient and Quertum working on CX opportunity

Growth in the customer experience market means that those providing the tools for banks and utilities to communicate with users are experiencing healthy market conditions Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Maintel picks up Atos contracts

The managed services specialist has spent millions to acquire Atos contracts Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Impartner strengthens partner relationship management portfolio

The PRM specialist has made an acquisition that will give it more muscle in the social media space Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: Focus on film

In this issue, we look at how video marketing can help companies capture customers' attention, as well as the challenges of a multi-cloud world and a focus on Dell's desire to make business easier Continue Reading