ADVERTORIAL: Wick Hill Q&A on Channel Awards success

Wick Hill's Ian Kilpatrick reflects on winning Security Distributor of the Year at the 2015 CRN Channel Awards

How has 2015 been for your business in general?

2014 was an excellent year for us as a group, but 2015 is an even better year. The changes in the security threat landscape have led to strong growth for our channel partners, who have grown their existing business with us, as well as adding other products from our portfolio. We have therefore had strong growth for our existing core suppliers and the small number of new suppliers that we have added. That has also driven a spike in additional training and services revenues. All in all, good news all round.

How pleased are you to have won your award for Security Distributor of the Year?

We are delighted. I am only too keenly aware of how difficult it is to win a CRN award and particularly in the highly contested security distributor category. So to have won it two years in succession means a lot to everyone here. When our challenge is to try to deliver as close to excellence as we can achieve, it's great for the whole team to have our efforts recognised.

How has the award been received within the company so far? How did you celebrate?

Obviously it went down well, particularly the triumphant parading of the trophy around all the offices, and then adding it to the trophy cabinet alongside last year's award. We like winning.

What would you say is your greatest achievement in 2015?

Our greatest achievement has been building on last year's success and delivering further improvements for our customers. Our model is built on striving for excellence. Our reasoning is that if we can do that well, then success will follow. We have had a very good year for improvements across the board.

What has been the biggest challenge for distribution in 2015?

The challenge is - and for many years has been - finding the right solutions for the security challenges faced today. And also anticipating the challenges and solutions to come, in order to support our partners in taking those solutions to market.

What difference will winning this award make to your business going forward?

I hope it will encourage those partners who currently don't work with us to find out what makes us tick, and give us the opportunity to show why we are different from the majority of distributors.

Ian Kilpatrick is chairman of Wick Hill