Last chance to put pen to paper
With deadline day just a week away, time is running out for channel players to enter the Channel Awards 2006. Simon Meredith finds out from some of last year's reseller winners why putting their achievements into words was worthwhile
While there is never a shortage of entries for the Channel Awards, Sara Driscoll, editor of CRN, wants to see a higher number of resellers entering for this year’s awards.
“We get some great entries from VARs that have clearly put a lot of effort into their propositions. But we would like to see even more,” she said. “There are many system integrators, solution providers and specialist VARs that would stand a great chance of winning if only they got an entry to us by deadline day.”
You don’t have much time left to submit an entry: submissions must arrive by 17 July. The entry need not be very long: between 300 and 1,500 words. We don’t advise entrants to write more, as the judges have to consider so many entries.
But whatever its length, the entry has to impress the judges and compel them to put it through to the final stages. Even if you do not make it through, putting the entry together can be a useful exercise in helping your management and marketing teams keep account of what the business has done over the past year.
There is no right or wrong way to write an entry: it simply has to highlight your strengths. For example, Eurodata Systems’ entry last year contained very specific details about how it had saved customers money and provided more value by managing IT infrastructures more efficiently.
The approach of PC World Business (PCWB) was broader. It detailed its overall approach to business and highlighted its dedication to its customers and nationwide coverage.
Both approaches clearly had the desired effect because both companies won awards.
Even though there does not need to be too many words, finding the right ones is not easy, according to Tony Parish, managing director of last year’s IT Project of the Year award winner, G3 Telecommunications.
“We design, implement and maintain large and complex communication networks,” he said. “Our focus is customer satisfaction and every install is a reference. But it’s putting this into words on an award entry in a way that makes you stand out from the rest that is most difficult.”
It is also important that you ensure customers know that they have the opportunity to vote for you, according to Abdul Terry, marketing manager at Equanet, the winner of last year’s Corporate Reseller and overall Reseller of the Year awards.
“The entry is important because it summarises what we have developed for our customers to ensure the best service possible,” he said. “Gaining votes is also important, and our campaign plans were developed to maximise both.”
But simply getting your entry in means that you are in with a chance.
“It’s always worth entering for the awards if you have a good proposition, a proven track record and want to improve your stance in industry accolades,” Parish said.
It has also been a major fillip for last year’s SME award winner, PCWB, according to David Gould, trading director at the company.
“The Channel Awards are the Oscars of our industry,” he said. “One of our key business objectives is to be acknowledged as the best in the market. Winning last year was very important. Everyone in the organisation was proud of that achievement. From this point of view alone, it has helped with staff motivation by achieving a company-wide goal of being the best in servicing SMEs.”
Des Lekerman, managing director of Eurodata Systems, which won the Services Provider award last year, agreed that the impact on staff can be significant.
“Winning has certainly helped boost morale and given our team confidence,” he said. “Our award has given us recognition and confirmed that we are doing a great job.”
Lekerman added that it is difficult to measure how winning the award has helped Eurodata as a business.
“It has added an extra layer,” he said. “Not only do we have the experience in what we do, but we also have an independent award based on our ability to deliver to the customer. I cannot put a value on this, but it has certainly helped a great deal.”
Equanet has attempted to quantify the value in some way by asking customers if they think it matters. The answer, according to Terry, is unequivocal.
“We have added a question to our regular customer satisfaction survey to test whether customers value these awards,” he said. “In our last survey, 94 per cent of those surveyed thought the awards confirmed their trust in Equanet.”
Terry is convinced that winning an award has definitely had an impact on the firm’s bottom line.
“We retain customers and acquire customers because of these awards,” he said. “Just as important, it provides a sense of pride for all our employees that we are the best at providing quality service.”
Winning a Channel Award also sets a standard for resellers that everyone wants to improve upon and, to an extent, changes attitudes.
“We set out to be the best and win in everything that we do,” Terry added. “I want the company to win more awards because I think the team deserves this recognition.”
Gould agrees. “An award of this magnitude affects many aspects of our business,” he said. “In addition to driving more custom, it also motivates staff and creates a working environment where our hard work and dedication are acknowledged by an impartial organisation with considerable influence in the industry.”
It is certainly worthwhile to enter, Gould added, because work travels fast in the IT business, among both customers and suppliers.
“Any reseller that takes the view that the CRN awards are not worth entering is mistaken,” he said. “We base our business on our market reputation and word-of-mouth referrals, so having a recognised industry award travels through the industry and can influence purchasers.”
If it can do that, it has to be worth taking the trouble to produce a few hundred words on your achievements this year. Even if you cannot be specific, simply outlining strengths and key achievements may be enough to get you recognition.