You can’t keep a good channel down. Or so it seems from response to the Spring 2009 Channel Partners Conference & Expo. The event, held in Las Vegas, March 1-3, exceeded expectations with many conference-goers claiming it to be the best to date. Total participation rivaled last year’s spring event at nearly 3,000, but more significantly channel partner attendance was up 29 percent.
While the economic downturn didn’t put a damper on the show, ironically it may have driven some of the success as more vendors are seeking an economical distribution channel and more partners are looking for revenue-generating opportunities and business-building strategies.
Along these lines, the conference program was focused heavily on key channel issues, from recognizing the most channel-friendly executives to debating ethical behavior among vendors and their indirect sales partners.
PHONE+ readers voted Lightyear CEO Sherm Henderson as its 2009 Channel Executive of the Year. Henderson’s tenure was briefly in peril as his cartoon likeness was “kidnapped” by IP villain Echo. But IP Man saved the day courtesy of Broadvox.
In her industry address, Gartner’s Tiffani Bova got agents thinking differently about their businesses — how they fit into the overall IT/telecom marketplace transition to alternate delivery modes long-term and what they can do today to increase sales success understanding customers’ views on IT/telecom initiatives.
Gartner’s comments aptly set the stage for a tactical roundtable discussion featuring practicing partners talking about their successes and failures pre- and post-recession. Led by Yankee Group’s Steve Hilton (aka Ask Steve), the panel’s insights into product, promotion, pricing, selling and growth provided attendees with several items to add to their to-do lists. Of particular note was how to start charging for services they currently offer free.
This discussion was followed up by a first-ever Peer-to-Peer Networking Mixer where about 100 independent agents and subagents gathered to discuss their shared concerns about suppliers, revenue retention, hiring, sales and marketing, and more. The early reviews on this forum were positive and a bigger and better effort is planned for fall 2009.
Another highlight on the agenda was the YOU Track, which included sessions that were suggested and voted on by past conference delegates. Attendance was high at each of these tutorials on SIP, VoIP, UC, contracts and C-Level sales.
The enthusiasm extended to the expo hall where the buzz was upbeat and the traffic was steady for the more than 120 exhibitors. Any downsizing in booths was made up for in attention-getting promos and swag. TelePacific’s Red Carpet made for a grand entrance to the hall. And, AT&T’s “Make a Bundle” game show and Time Warner Cable’s “Nothing But Net” basketball game added to the excitement. And if you didn’t see Bandcon’s giveaway, you missed out. For the first time, attendees also were able to attend detailed presentations from TMC, Contingent Networks and Dell without having to leave the show floor. Attendees were not wanting for opportunities for drawings. Gadgets (iPods, GPS devices, etc.), poker chips and cash were raffled off by dozens of exhibitors. Telarus agent Dena Anthony won the $2,500 Passport drawing. To enter, agents got stamps from a handful of exhibitors, including Aksys, Color Broadband, EasyNet, PHONE+, Streaming Media, ScanSource and Telcentris.
A gallery of photos from the Spring 2009 Channel Partners Conference & Expo is available on the Channel Partners Conference & Expo Web site.
