TechSelect Members Guide Evolution Of Tech Data's SMB Reseller Community
Tech Data Corporation, a leading IT products distributor, recently kicked off its fall TechSelect Partner Conference in Orlando and unveiled several new enhancements to this community of small-to-midsize business (SMB) resellers. A record 400 attendees, including resellers, manufacturers and software publishers, are scheduled to participate in the conference to discuss trends and share best practices for capitalizing on the demand for IT solutions among SMBs nationwide.
"As the TechSelect community continues to mature and strengthen, our membership is assuming an increasingly active role in shaping its evolution into a more valuable program," said Murray Wright, Tech Data's senior vice president, U.S. Sales. "Today we're announcing several new initiatives designed to better enable our members to guide the future of TechSelect. These developments underscore Tech Data's commitment to building upon the success of TechSelect, as well as the dedication of our members, who have created a thriving, rewarding and growing community."
This week's conference will introduce TechSelect's Peer Discussion Groups. These intense, expert-led sessions enable small groups of resellers to collaborate on improving their businesses. Unlike business-building workshops held during the TechSelect conferences, the Peer Discussion Groups operate year-round, offering members the time, tools and insight they need to critically review their operations and implement improvement projects. Members also will review one another's operating plans, balance sheets and profitability, providing valuable peer benchmarks and identifying opportunities for further improvement. The Peer Discussion Group was piloted during the last TechSelect University in Chicago.
"TechSelect already provides tremendous value, but the Peer Discussion Group is an example of Tech Data enabling members to take the community in an exciting new direction," said Sam Ruggeri, president of Advanced Vision Technology Group, Inc. and the TechSelect Advisory Council. "TechSelect members – some of the nation's leading IT resellers – are always willing to share their insight and experiences as we all look for new ways to profitably grow our businesses. The Peer Discussion Group builds upon the strong spirit of community among TechSelect members and the trust and respect we have for one another."
TechSelect also announced enhanced online resources, including a new member-driven interactive forum and regional communication tools, which are designed to enhance member engagement and community participation yearlong. The community's partner locator tool, which enables members to identify each another by geography, solutions specialty, vertical market expertise and vendor authorizations, will be re-launched with new features early next year. Additionally, TechSelect will introduce a community newsletter with direction and content originating with the membership.
Throughout the event, resellers will hear from one another, industry experts, vendors and Tech Data representatives on a wide range of business-building topics, including:
- How to build services revenue in a product-centric sales model
- How to transition a product sales team to managed services
- How to identify and effectively communicate a value proposition
- How to identify opportunities to enhance profitability
- How to develop effective marketing strategies
Tech Data senior executives scheduled to attend the TechSelect Partner Conference include:
- CEO Robert Dutkowsky
- President, The Americas Ken Lamneck
- Senior Vice President, U.S. Sales Murray Wright
- Vice President, Networking Product Marketing Chuck Bartlett
- Vice President, West and Central Sales Marty Bauerlein
- Vice President, Client Systems Brian Davis
- Vice President, Marketing Services Katie Dumala
- Vice President, Government, Technical and Integration Services Barb Miller
- Vice President, East and Government Sales Joe Quaglia
About Tech Data
Founded in 1974, Tech Data Corporation is a leading distributor of IT products, with more than 90,000 customers in over 100 countries. The company's business model enables technology solution providers, manufacturers and publishers to cost-effectively sell to and support end users ranging from small-to-midsize businesses (SMB) to large enterprises. Ranked 109th on the FORTUNE 500 , Tech Data generated $21.4B in sales for its fiscal year ended January 31, 2007. For more information, visit www.techdata.com.
SOURCE: Tech Data Corporation