Takeaways from Breakaway
As the CompTIA Breakaway event nears its final day....I have a mull....
One thing I've noticed about being in the US at the CompTIA Breakaway 2012 event is that the Americans are more willing to ask questions during keynotes than we are in the UK.
Over the past couple of days I've seen some interesting stats on the changing landscape in the US channel and how telcos are beginning to eat VARs' lunch, it is often said that what happens in the US happens over here - so I'm sure it will.
We've seen vendor and distributor power panels discussing the issues that affect them the most, including consumerisation of IT with the vendors, and cloud and mobility with the distributors.
But our main session today was aimed at vendors looking to break into the UK, and the panel included CRN's own publisher Alan Loader (he will kill me when he sees this).
There is a significant amount of interest from US (and other) vendors looking to break into our market, and they need the channel to help them do this.
But I wonder if some of the things urged on the panel today will be taken notice of by these vendors. I hope they are.
A couple of people I spoke to today said how there appears to be an increasing divide between existing vendors and partners in the UK because the vendors just aren't listening and acting convincingly enough.
Of course there are some exceptions - but not that many.
Anyone breaking into the market today faces cutthroat competition, a wary army of resellers that will need convincing that they need to take on any more products and the challenge of ensuring they understand all the cultural and language requirements when dealing in the UK.
It is a fun place to be indeed!
As an aside - it is ironic that we are here in the desert, here in Vegas, but they are experiencing the wettest weather since records began in the state and flash flood warnings are all over the TV.
Tonight it is the big CompTIA party. I've been warned to expect a corker - so I'm a little worried about my head tomorrow morning.