2010: A Channel Odyssey
With the economy beginning to right itself, it’s time for channel partners to become laser-focused on the incredible transformation in communications technology and delivery and how that will impact their business models in the next decade. The Spring 2010 Channel Partners Conference & Expo will provide a forum for this critical conversation on exploring channel transformation.
The 2010 conference agenda has been designed to facilitate that dialogue:
- We kick off with an industry address that sets the stage for transformation – what’s going on in technology and service delivery that partners need to understand and embrace?
- Following that address are concurrent workshops and sessions on tactical areas of potential transformation.
- Finally, we wrap up with a panel discussion on the best practices for integrating new products and service delivery models into a successful, future-forward channel organization.
Featured Sessions
Industry Address: Exploring Channel Transformation
Convergence of voice and data technologies and the emergence of alternate delivery models make this a transformative time for the communications channel. This address will explore the trends in technology and service delivery, set expectations for the future and address what channel partners must do to stay ahead of the curve.
Top 10 Ways to Get Ready for Economic Recovery
With an economic recovery comes the return of heavy competition and this session will arm your business with the knowledge needed to make a difference when customers start spending again. This session will explore proven strategies such as solutions positioning, green initiatives, competitive pricing strategies and managed services as options to help achieve competitive differentiation.
Roundtable: Best Practices for Transforming Your Channel Organization
With the increasing pressure to become a full-service provider, channel partners are faced with the Herculean task of integrating new product lines and service delivery methods into their business models. This panel of service providers and channel partners will discuss ways to do that and ultimately transform channel businesses for the future.
Workshops
In your quest for transformation, you’ve told us you want to go beyond the basics. So we’ve reprised the 90-minute tutorial workshops for Spring 2010.Managed services is a growing market opportunity tailor-made for channel partners. Find out about the market drivers, how you can benefit from offering managed services and the potential paths – do-it-yourself or partnering – for becoming a managed services provider.
In the next decade, energy and telecom inevitably will converge, with decision-making authority brought to the CIO. As an agent, how can you prepare for this trend and be one step ahead of the competition? This workshop will cover the basics of getting into the energy sales business, from the regulatory landscape to energy resale to power management and more.
Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery
Business continuity and disaster recovery are top of mind for businesses and can open doors to customers that might otherwise be unreceptive to telecom sales pitches. In this workshop, the speakers will identify some standard services that channel partners can position as part of a BC/DR solution.
BONUS Pre-Conference Workshop: Telecom Agency 101
Whether you’re considering becoming an agent, just getting started, or looking for best practices advice, this workshop is for you. It will address the basics, such as how to choose suppliers, the ins and outs of contract negotiations, how to process orders and more.
Education Tracks
Everyone is talking about the cloud. But for channel partners, the only thing that’s of interest is how to make money selling it. This track will offer some frank advice about selling hosted IP telephony as an entry point and the potential for cloud-based applications and computing.
Conferencing technologies are helping businesses get work done despite the new economic realities. Be it audio, Web or video conferencing, partners can help their customers save money and optimize collaboration with the ultimate benefit of improving their own positions as trusted advisers.
Web 2.0 is shifting our world, changing the demand-generation fields forever. The channel’s ability to attract and retain new business will require new thinking. This track offers sessions on maximizing your Marketing 2.0 strategy with tips for Internet and e-mail marketing on a budget and successful strategies for social media marketing.
Leading suppliers share information about their latest product offers, how they can help your customers, and warm up your revenue streams in 2010 and beyond.
