Articles By Jim Roddy

  1. As-A-Service Business Model Gains Traction On RetailNOW Stage 8/7/2014

    I was thrilled the as-a-Service business model was discussed often during the final day of RetailNOW 2014 on Aug. 6 in Orlando, FL. The concept was featured prominently in the 8:00 a.m. “View From The Top” leadership panel — dominated by hardware vendors and distributors — and was the sole topic of the 9:00 a.m. session that followed in the conference’s main auditorium.

  2. Helgeson Forecasts The Future Of Payments At RetailNOW 8/7/2014

    With apologies to E.F. Hutton, when Henry Helgeson talks about payments, people listen. The CEO of Merchant Warehouse, who is regularly quoted in Forbes and other national media outlets, drew a large crowd to his Aug. 5 RetailNOW presentation titled “The Future Of Payments.”

  3. RetailNOW Panel: Channel Vital To Mobile Payment Adoption 8/7/2014

    You know a topic is popular at a trade show when the hotel staff needs to bring in extra seats to accommodate the previously standing-room-only crowd. That was the case Aug. 5 at RetailNOW 2014 in Orlando for a panel discussion titled “Driving Commerce With Mobile Payment.”

  4. First Thoughts On RSPA RetailNOW 2014 8/4/2014

    RetailNOW 2014 officially kicked off today. Despite the retail and hospitality IT channel's most important conference just getting started, a lot has already happened.

  5. HIMSS Executive To Headline Smart VAR Healthcare Summit 7/9/2014

    John Daniels, Vice President of Strategic Relations for HIMSS, a global organization focused on better health through information technology, will keynote the Smart VAR Healthcare Summit, powered by ScanSource and Business Solutions, on Aug. 21 in Chicago.

  6. Peer-To-Peer: VAR Best Practices For Rebranding Your Company 6/3/2014

    Jason Cowan of Spark Solutions Group — formerly Cowans Restaurant Solutions — talks about the process of changing your business’ name, obstacles you could face, and strong reasons to consider making this change.

  7. From ASCII Columbus: Increase Your Sales Through Neuromarketing 5/30/2014

    Marketing consultant and author Roger Dooley, the afternoon educational keynote at the ASCII Success Summit on May 29, said neuroscientists believe we use only a fraction of our brain power. Then why do I feel like my skull is going to explode after trying to absorb the wealth of information Dooley shared with the nearly 100 channel executives at the ASCII event?

  8. From ASCII Columbus: How To Stand Out In A Crowded Market 5/30/2014

    I liked the tactic AVG used for its presentation May 29 at the ASCII Success Summit in Columbus, OH. They correctly assumed the nearly 100 channel executives in the room were already aware of AVG’s RMM platform, AVG Managed Workplace, so they used their 25 minutes on the main stage to educate the attendees.

  9. From ASCII Columbus: Channel Trends — And Anti-Trends — To Watch 5/29/2014

    Gary Bixler provided many interesting insights during his “2014 Industry Outlook and Trends to Watch” presentation May 29 at the ASCII Success Summit in Columbus, OH. And something tells me the trends he outlined will carry over into 2015 as well.

  10. How To Sell Backup? Stop Pitching Fires, Floods, And Famine 5/29/2014

    At the ASCII Success Summit in Columbus, OH, Rob Rae, vice president of business development at Datto, offered advice on selling backup and business continuity during his keynote presentation May 29.