September is a month of change as summer turns to fall, however another change is happening that will impact VARs and MSPs far more. September marks the beginning of the federal buying season, but this season has been upended by both the upcoming Presidential election as well as the ongoing COVID-19 health emergency. This federal busy season will be longer than most, so partners will have to understand how to best align their services to the needs of this lively marketplace.
With the end of the fiscal year fast approaching for the U.S. Government, agencies are quickly distributing their budgets and procuring new technology and solutions to support IT modernization initiatives. While this month will be hectic, SYNNEX Comstor will provide the guidance and knowledge to best navigate the last fiscal quarter thanks to the experience of our support team for federal business.
In this installment of the Meet the People series, we are featuring the members of SYNNEX and SYNNEX Comstor that will help you navigate the federal busy season. Here are some thoughts from the team on this buying season, their experience in the field, and why SYNNEX Comstor can offer some of the best insight available:
Ed Somers, Vice President of Public Sector and Vertical Markets, SYNNEX
Years with SYNNEX: 22
Years in His Field: 31
Ed Somers began his three decades of government contracting experience while working Superfund Sites with the EPA as a subcontractor for Booz Allen Hamilton. Somers would go on to work several other contracting jobs before arriving to work with SYNNEX. In his role, Somers leverages his time in the trenches to best help partners identify and move on contracts and schedules to grow their government business.
Somers prides himself on offering partners new tools, solutions, and contracts that vendors and resellers can leverage in the hunt for public sector business. “We are enablers and teachers at the end of the day,” says Somers, “helping our partners understand the market and improving their odds of being successful.”
Somers offers three pieces of advice to those looking to expand their public sector business. First, identify and focus on the core market and services you want to provide. “These markets are huge,” says Somers. “Don’t boil the ocean trying to do it all.” Second, identify what is unique about your products or services. “The more you can differentiate yourself, the better your odds are at winning.” Finally, identifying and applying for a contract takes up a tremendous amount of administrative time and “you will run out of bandwidth really quick.” Somers also recommends that partners should identify contracts that are essential to their business, and partner with SYNNEX Comstor to take advantage of the access they provide.
Heather Hunter, SYNNEX Partner Business Manager, Cisco Public Sector
Years with SYNNEX: 22
Years in Her Field: 22
Heather Hunter provides partners with 22 years of business development expertise before joining the Product Business Management team. In her role, she assists partners with identifying needs in the public sector and providing the tools to partners to grow their presence in the public sphere. Hunter prides herself on helping partners in the Cisco community locate and prioritize their service and products to the available contracts.
Hunter emphasizes the importance for any partner looking to enter the public space to understand their product and what the market needs. The changing nature of modern communications allows for new avenues along with the old, and Hunter is ready to help partners optimize their applications.
Danielle Turcot, Federal Business Development Manager, SYNNEX Comstor
Years with SYNNEX Comstor: 7
Years in Her Field: 12
Danielle Turcot brings more than a decade of experience and expertise to the table for any partners looking to expand their federal partnerships. Turcot has empowered numerous partners to pursue their contracts with the knowledge to target contracts best suited to their talents and strengths.
With the federal buying season here, Turcot understands that communication is key, “Keep us informed of what you have coming and what you are working on so we can best support your efforts! Let us help come up with a solution that works for you and your end users.” During this busy time, Cisco community partners can rest assured knowing that they can rely on the knowledge and expertise of Turcot to navigate their application from start to finish.
Mario Crespin, Federal Inside Sales, SYNNEX Comstor
Years with SYNNEX Comstor: 4.5
Years in His Field: 10
Mario Crespin began his career in sales before transitioning to tech and IT sales in 2016. Crespin had always been tech-savvy and saw an opportunity to further develop his skill set while engaging in an industry he knows well. Crespin utilized his skills and quickly established himself in the new industry by learning best practices and offering exceptional service to partners.
Crespin’s advice to all potential federal partners is to “be patient and organized.” Federal partners are valued for their reliability and efficiency when delivering on expectations, and that those who succeed will be staffed with team players. Unity in the beginning, middle, and end of a federal contract or schedule will yield dividends and that if everyone is “on the same page” then they will be able to execute a successful federal buying season.
