Ingram ramps up channel training with vertical view

Speciality-focused training aims at channel transformation across Europe

Distributor Ingram Micro has cut the ribbon on a reseller training programme aimed at transforming the channel with an eye to vertical and line-of-business opportunities.

Jason Beal, executive director of the advanced solutions division at Ingram Micro Europe, said the move is part of a channel transformation alliance of a range of vendors now in its third year.

"In the first year, we focused primarily on exposing the reseller channel to all the new business model possibilities associated with cloud computing and IT-as-a-service. At that time in 2011, we wanted to remove a lot of fear and doubt associated early on with cloud. In the second year, we broadened the focus to business and technology solution orientation and much more specific demand generation and sales-process training," he said.

"In this third year, it's a natural progression for the training to focus on opportunities to grow the pie, so to speak, in vertical markets and help enable resellers, MSPs and ISVs to direct their marketing and selling down through specific functional lines of business within the end-user enterprise."

Healthcare, retail and education are three sectors the new training offer will target across the distributor's pan-European channel. The vendors involved include HP, Microsoft, Cisco, Symantec, APC and Fujitsu.

The distributor went on to indicate that channel partners had responded well to the initiative so far, in part because they themselves are trying to change their businesse models to take advantage of new opportunities offered by current technological trends including cloud.

Ingram's education partners SNIA Europe and SPC International have also helped develop the alliance, which now incorporates 2,000 resellers connected via web portals, related webcasts, and other events such as bootcamps and roundtables, it said.

Partners can find out more at www.channeltransformation.com