Maximum exposure
The much-anticipated Channel Expo 2009 provided attendees with invaluable advice. Fleur Doidge reports
Channel Expo 2009 was on par with 2008 despite the downturn
Some 3,000 delegates passed through the doors of Hall 9 at the NEC Birmingham on 20 and 21 May for Channel Expo 2009.
Although the physical space assigned to stands was smaller, the number of exhibitors was on par with last year and according to anecdotes from attendees the quality of leads achieved, on average, was higher.
Unsurprisingly, a virtualisation-like play from MiniFrame that offers VARs the opportunity to maximise cost savings and margin at the same time was one of the most popular with attendees.
Colin McCarthy, business development manager at MiniFrame, said: “SoftXpand enables multiple users to share resources from one PC, totally independently, with no loss of performance.”
On the stand, MiniFrame demonstrated SoftXpand enabling users to work normally, using processor-hungry applications such as video, from six PCs at once. The Israeli technology was launched in the UK mid-2008 and sales are soaring.
Spy games
CCTV surveillance specialist Y3K is making a big push through the channel, and was at Expo with a range of analogue and IP cameras as well as some more ‘covert
operations’ equipment including a pen incorporating a disguised camera and USB port, and a camera disguised as a standard PVR.
Unfortunately, neither item explodes, and both have relevant legitimate uses, according to Y3K special projects manager Roy Woodman.
William Studholme, managing director from Cirrus Digital, showcased a quirky range of bundle add-ons, such as cube-shaped speakers, keyboards, Chinese sky lanterns and laptop cases in vivid (and not-so-vivid) shades and the Incognito USB drive for secure browsing.
“We see a lot of interest in [Incognito]. We would like to work with a couple of master resellers,” said Studholme. “This is exclusive to us for the UK and Europe. It’s a secure device for people who travel a lot, especially if they are non-technical.”
Smarties have the answer
Another peripherals vendor keen to partner VARs in the UK is Italy’s CDC Point, which launched its popular and equally colourful Kraun range of accessories at Expo.
Becky Eyles, marketing manager at EuroTech Distribution, said the show had been more productive than when the company last attended a couple of years ago.
More value had come from showing specific innovative products such as EuroTech’s redesigned Altec Lansing speakers to attract footfall than by focusing a stand’s display on the company itself, she said.
But it was not all just about the technology. Some exhibitors had non-technology products to promote, while others adopted guerrilla marketing strategies to attract people to a booth.
Quinton Watts, marketing vice president at Eset, said: “We did really well. We had a specific plan for Expo, and more than 12 people at each presentation we did. But the secret of our success was Smarties.”
Fountain of knowledge
SCH Distribution hosted a Fantasy Fountains chocolate fountain on its stand, accompanied by marshmallows, strawberries, melons and pineapple on skewers.
Fantasy managing director Robert Carter said he had drummed up a decent number of future fountain hires from VARs. The chocolate available in various colours, including orange or green, was scrumptious, thanks for asking.
Matthew Cooke, sales and account executive for the Intelligent Sport World Series at IMG, said Cisco is sponsoring this year’s corporate adventure Euro Challenge to be held from 24-27 September in Norway and its partners may also compete.
The race involves a series of physical, outdoor and intellectual challenges intended to foster and develop team spirit as well as inspire, said Cooke.
Just across the way, reseller group Brigantiawas offering passers-by the chance to drive its mock-up race car. No doubt, as Brigantia members, VARs can similarly accelerate their businesses.
A sense of humour in these tough times remained evident not least from managed services provider Kaseya, which was busy broadcasting a Soviet-era video of a military parade, with the original voice-over replaced with English subtitles recounting ‘messaging’ from Kaseya’s ‘enemies’.
“Kaseya threatens everything we stand for!” it said. “We will invite their leaders… to a Siberian gulag.”
We are not sure what our friends the Russians would have thought of this. However, Sean O’Connell, Kaseya’s EMEA marketing director, said the corporate video was
intended to depict humourously the hoped-for advance of managed services and how it might be perceived by the creaking institutions of older technological empires.
Global opportunities
Of course, for most people Channel Expo was a serious event, and they attended to learn in more conventional ways.
Was Rahman, IT champion for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), introduced the government agency’s plethora of free support services and talked about ways IT providers that have never considered such a thing should seize the day and get involved in forging partnerships or export opportunities overseas.
“I am not saying it is easy, but the opportunities are real,” said Rahman. “And we can help.”
For example, BA has donated 4,000 return flights to firms wishing to travel abroad to explore new business opportunities. VARs should contact UKTI for details.
One of the best-attended seminars was by Gartner’s vice president of indirect channels and sales strategy research, Tiffani Bova. She discussed the trends in channel opportunities globally, with specific reference to the UK situation.
She noted the pace of acquisition activity has increased as more technology providers aim at a more holistic ‘solutions sell’, not only to cushion themselves from shrinking hardware margins, but to reflect the more pressing demands of customers to receive easy to manage and comprehend answers to their IT challenges.
“At the same time, you can move your business from being project-based to being much more of an annuity stream,” said Bova.
Cloud’s silver lining
These days, company failures happen quickly channel players can better protect themselves against a sudden loss of customer revenue by relying more on managed services that guarantee income each month.
That said, she added that few resellers are actually yet able to mastermind integrated, complex solutions. The channel has far to travel in the next few years, Bova hinted.
Google Enterprise EMEA partner head Peter Lorant outlined the opportunities for VARs to get involved with cloud technology for Google Apps, whether by becoming trusted
advisors or developers of dovetailing technologies.
“We need partners,” he said. “It is a global-scale programme, but it is meant to be a light-touch programme. We will give up the tools; we are willing to share the tools.”
Back to the future
>> www.channelweb.co.uk/2238487