Cisco distribution partners remain at the forefront of digital transformation, connecting communities and people. At the 2022 Red, White & You Conference in Greenville, South Carolina, industry leaders discussed successes and the positive role our technology and services play in peoples’ lives. From hybrid learning and work to cybersecurity concerns, the consequences and the positive implications are far-reaching.
Industry Update and TD SYNNEX Response with Michael Urban, President of Americas at TD SYNNEX,
With more than 120,000 customer partners and 15,000 vendor partners, from the most well-known to up-and-coming brands, the future looks bright, according to Michael Urban, President, Americas, TD SYNNEX. Since 2008, IT spending has been outpacing GDP growth, which is good news for distribution partners.
The past couple of years have created innumerable opportunities for growth and development as hybrid school and work options have become necessary and, in many cases, permanent parts of life. To best assist distributors in connecting communities, Urban explained how TD SYNNEX is focusing on extending vendor partnerships. Urban also touched on the extensive teams of engineers who are readily available to support and assist with delivering solutions to customers. The goal is to work in collaboration to continue to provide top-of-the-line technology, connecting and helping people.
Chromebooks for Education: Powering the Next Generation of Teaching and Learning
Since the start of the pandemic, Chromebooks have been one of the main tools connecting and helping K-12 educators across the country. Right now, more than 50 million students and educators are using Chromebooks worldwide, according to Fausto Tavarez, Partner Sales Engineer, Google. Over the past couple of years, these simple computers have transformed the way students are able to learn and teachers are able to teach, propelling them to the most-used device in K-12 education for 2021. While cybersecurity remains a primary concern throughout the public and private sector, Tavarez shared that there have been no reported ransomware attacks ever on any business, education, or consumer on a ChromeOS device. The secure, versatile, and customizable device is at the center of an educational transformation.
Industry Leaders Panel Discussion: DLT and Market Intelligence and How We Can Help You Extend Your Reach Into that Market
Finding sales opportunities and creating actionable items are what Lloyd McCoy, Director of Market Intelligence, TD SYNNEX, and his team do every day. According to McCoy, “Our mission, our purpose, is to conduct research and analysis on public sector trends, budgets, drivers, apply insights into that analysis and data, and leverage that information to inform and identify sales opportunities and sales activities.”
In a panel discussion led by McCoy, his team members shared their own insights and analysis to help distribution partners, especially as the end of many states’ fiscal years approaches at the beginning of July. With 46 states running from July 1-June 30, the end of the fiscal year and the beginning of a new one are both key times to work with customers.
Panelists described how distributors can leverage end-of-year resources, buying initiatives, and promotions; at the beginning of a fiscal year, it’s a chance to leverage relationships with customers, consult on industry best practices, and address any challenges or priorities for the year ahead.
Why Use Yesterday’s Tools to Determine Today’s Business Requirements?
While the embracing of remote work, new technologies, cloud platforms, AI, etc., creates more business needs, it also all comes with unique challenges. Rick Indyke, Director, Public Sector Business Development, AMD, reiterated a point that has been touted for months: Remote work is here to stay. Indyke noted that as distributors, it’s important to understand what the customers are experiencing and bring value to their lives. With 73 percent of surveyed employees desiring flexible hybrid options, the difficulties come with creating technology that allows users to truly work from anywhere, handles unforeseen new workloads, exists on a platform that adheres to a wide range of requirements, and meets expectations from users for quality performance and a better overall experience. Compounding all of this, there has been a 600 percent increase in cybersecurity attacks since the pandemic.
Conclusion
During the digital transformation, as customers adjust to the new normal and face new challenges, it’s an opportunity to learn, grow, and educate while bringing real benefits.
To learn more about how TD SYNNEX is connecting communities and what that means for VARs and , click here.
