var tag
25 result(s) displayed for var (1 - 25 of 95):
Agents May Not Like This
Verizon's re-launch of its channel (after quite a few starts and stops) came with a new channel chief, Janet Schijns. In an interview in CP magazine, she makes some points for the channel. The buying patterns are changing. So...
A Look at ShoreTel Numbers
The WSJ posted revenue numbers from Shoretel. I am taking a guess that these would be industry average or demonstrate what all PBX vendors are seeing. ( could be wrong.) "Recurring revenues, which consist of cloud monthly recurring revenues...
The UC Install Opprtunity
When I talk to UC provider (or Hosted VoIP providers) that sell nationally, the biggest challenge is the customer install. There are a couple of national installers including Endeavor. The feedback I hear is that the current choices are...
What's Missing in UC?
Why do people think UC is plug and play! Was Microsoft ever plug and play? The biggest hurdle to Hosted UC installs is a competent technician on-site. Heck, even for telecom installs, a competent tech would be helpful to...
Why Pivot?
In business, a pivot is a strategy change (especially in Lean Startup processes). When you look at brick-and-mortar companies like RadioShack, Sears/K-Mart, there have been strategy changes but not really what I would call a pivot - or even...
VADs, VARs and Cable: How Does That Work?
Tech Data and Ingram Micro have partnerships to sell network services. Ingram Micro has a deal with CenturyLink and TW Cable. Tech Data has deals with XO and Microcorp (a master agency). I want to know how the TWC-Ingram...
VADs, VARs and Cable: How Does That Work?
Tech Data and Ingram Micro have partnerships to sell network services. Ingram Micro has a deal with CenturyLink and TW Cable. Tech Data has deals with XO and Microcorp (a master agency). I want to know how the TWC-Ingram...
VARs Threatened by Agents
Quite the announcement: "CompTIA: 70% of VARs Concerned About Agents 'Encroaching' on Their Space". For at least three years CompTIA has been working on partnering VARs with Agents to bring about this converged business that could manage the WAN/LAN/IT...
VARs Threatened by Agents
Quite the announcement: "CompTIA: 70% of VARs Concerned About Agents 'Encroaching' on Their Space". For at least three years CompTIA has been working on partnering VARs with Agents to bring about this converged business that could manage the WAN/LAN/IT...
The Channel is Shrinking
According to a study reported by Channelomics, "A new report by the Kauffman Foundation, a non-profit economic think tank, finds the number of U.S. technology companies five years or younger has fallen precipitously compared to the peak level in...
Comcast and Synnex Equals Added Value
I hear all the time how Agents don't "Add Value". Curiously, they never explain what that "added value" is supposed to be. Agents get paid to sell your stuff, isn't that value enough? Even more curious, carriers think VARs...
Is It Really Cloud or Bust?
In an email about a show, it states you can change or die. Then GCN had this cartoon on its Facebook page today: There are so many business options. VAR, VAD, Master Agents, Telecom Agents, manufacturers, carriers, service providers, even...
The Power of Cable
Agents and VARs want to sell cable - mainly due to demand from small business. The price points and the advertised speeds make cable attractive. However, the cable guys really only want to sell direct. Period. Everything else is...
Convergence is Upon Us
For years we talked about converging voice and data. Now that most voice traffic is VoIP riding on data networks (cellular, broadband, T1, MPLS, etc.), we can say Converged. But there is another convergence happening - the world of telco...
How Many VARs Are There Anyway
This is a LONG post. Kind of rambling. Sorry about that. But it does have some really good nuggets of info. Thanks for reading. Leave feedback. At the CompTIA meeting with the Telecom Advisory Council, the size of the VAR...
Converging At CompTIA
I am in Orlando at the Peabody Hotel (nice hotel) again for ChannelCon, which is CompTIA's annual event (formerly called Breakaway). It's filled with meetings - 9 hours of them tomorrow (ugh!). It is wrapped around a couple of themes...
Different Channel Partners Means Varying Obstacles
Whether I am working with an ITSP (Hosted VoIP provider) or a cloud video conferencing company, the one thing I can count on is that the channel partners will all have different business models. You can put them in buckets...
Channel Sales Enablement: Part 2
Every channel wants a lot of feet on the street. I just saw a master agent in New England with 160 providers in its catalog. It isn't unusual for a master agent (pick any of the big ones) to have...
What's a VAR to do?
Value-added Resellers (VARs) have a business model dependent on hardware sales. The big ticket items bring in cash in a lump sum to allow the business to pay bills (like payroll). The business usually is associated with a major...
The Master Model for Hardware
Microcorp and Tech Data. Ingram Micro and CenturyLink. Ingram and TWC. CDW is the hardware distributor with a full service telecom agency. Tech Data comes close with its long standing deal with XO and its TDMobility that is a cellular...
VAD's Becoming CSB's
I just like using acronyms. A VAD is a value added distributor like Tech Data, SYNNEX, Arrow, Ingram Micro and Insight. Like Dell and Microsoft, these companies have to shift their business model to adjust for a decline in hardware...
Interesting Links for Your Consideration
There have been some interesting articles lately. I can't get to all of them, but here are some good reads. Death of the Telecom VAR in 2013 - How an entire sub-industry will be wiped out in the next 24...
Business is a Thinking Man's Sport
When I heard Mark Sanborn call business a thinking man's spot, it made me smile and then think. Oddly, most of these news items have all fallen in my lap today. It made me re-think how the value added distributors...
Thoughts on the Channel in 2013
There is this article with four opinions about the Channel in 2013. Reading them, I am almost certain that they are not only viewing the channel from differing sides but that they are discussing different channels. I do like the...
Channel Shifts, Moves, Adds and Changes
There is a lot of noise coming out of the channel. Personnel changes left and right and center. Who's leaving, who's joining, who just signed an agreement. Bzzzzzzzz It's just noise for the most part.Funny that one master agent who...
