Awards shock as final countdown begins
Judging revamp spotlights additional talent among vendor, distributor and reseller line-up
A second round of Awards judging has resulted in some thrilling upsets – with long-established players missing out on a gong as well as new names rising to the top --with just one month to go until the channel’s night of nights.
Judges told this writer in confidence that the new two-round scoring system will definitely shake up the status quo on Awards night at Battersea Arena on 18 November.
“Some players that are large and certainly worthy in their own way appeared not to have put in the effort required to submit a winning entry,” she says. “Meanwhile, the new ‘non-popularity contest’ resulted in some carefully considered judging that has opened up opportunities for previous also-rans.”
Some shocks
Sara Yirrell, editor of CRN and one of the judges in the first round, says: “There will be some shocks. Some people were no longer be the big winners they have been before, and --- while there were always a few less familiar names getting their chance – this year the marking turned out completely differently to the days when everyone got all their business partners and so on to vote for them.
“But that is what true competition is all about. The best should be rewarded, but everyone should get the fairest go possible, and that is our aim.”
Yirrell says that despite some grumbling by one or two distributors shortlisted about the need to present in person to the panel, the new judging system worked “really well”, with much discussion over individual entries.
One function of the secondary 12-strong judging panel was quality control – providing a second set of eyes to scrutinise the shortlists created by the first panel of 11 judges. And an option to present to the judges means entrants get another chance to present their case even more effectively.
“Some people might not be happy. But it really was all about the quality of the entry,” she says.
In fact, many companies that contributed judges to either panel will, this writer has been assured, find themselves outside the winner’s circle on the night.
Then, as usual, there will also be the two Editor’s Choice awards – chosen solely by Yirrell – rewarding who she sees as the leading channel personality of the year and the top emerging company.
New category AV Distributor of the Year has three shortlisted entries – Maverick/C2000, Steljes, and Midwich. Punters will all be watching with interest to see who comes out on top in this closely fought battle.
The most hotly contested category this year, however, appears to be Services Provider of the Year, with not three but eight finallists that made it through the first round. Services provision of course is a broad and at times flexibly defined area, but it is in some sense a bellwether for the success of the channel in staying relevant beyond the traditional box-shifting business model.
Whoever takes home the glassware on the night, all those nominated and everyone involved in the channel is sure to have a wonderful time wining, dining, and dancing at the event itself, thanks to the Incisive Media events team and the generosity of sponsors – especially headline sponsor Oki Printing Solutions.
Worthy contributions
Oki was helped along by the worthy contributions of leading channel players Comms-care, Computerlinks, Eaton, HP, Intel, Kaseya, LG, Riverview Channel Services, Symantec, and VIP Computers. Platinum, Gold, and Silver tables are selling well – and the sales team suggests that organisations book soon if they want to be assured of attendance.
Single seats are also available if by chance your organisation cannot get an entire table of 10 together.
All those who come along will enjoy an excellent three-course meal with champagne and plenty of wine as well as a glittering evening’s entertainment compered, as befits the industry’s largest and most successful IT channel event, by this year’s handpicked host -- who has been booked in but we are not permitted to reveal his identity just yet.
Gold and Platinum guests are seated closer to the front of the house and accompanying action, and will enjoy a larger range of beverages, including a selection of after-dinner liqueurs, according to the CRN events team.