As global technology distributor Ingram Micro welcomed over 2,000 people to Maryland in November for its annual conference, one theme became clear: the critical need for collaboration within the channel. While some may have historically seen peers as competition, many are now stepping into a new vision in which MSPs, resellers and others work together and share insights, knowledge, and even customers.
Collaboration key as partners specialize: ‘don’t be everything to everyone’
According to many of the leaders at ONE, the days when one solutions provider could provide everything a customer needed are gone. Instead, those who are getting ahead are doing so by specializing in a few key areas and then bringing in others to support the customer in what is left.
“Your job is harder now than it has ever been,” Ingram Micro CEO Paul Bay said during his opening remarks.
On the second day of ONE, Director of Service Sales Pat O’Dell echoed Bay’s sentiments.
“Our reseller partners are being asked to juggle more and more every single day,” O’Dell said. “They’re being asked to juggle an ever-changing, ever-evolving, moving at the speed of light industry where your end customers are demanding more and more from you. It can feel like a magic trick just to keep up.”
To address the complexities without trying to become an expert in everything, partners are turning to peer-to-peer business relationships which center customer needs and prioritize collaboration.
In fact, Nvidia Head of Worldwide Distribution Geoff Fancher said during the North American general session the AI giant sees, on average, six or seven partners involved in one deal to service a single customer.
That might sound daunting to some and leave most asking, ‘but who do I trust my customers with?’
To Brad Mendel, Principal, Technology Consulting at Eide Bailey, the answer lies in a circle of trusted relationships to call on when needed.
“I really believe it is crucial to build relationships with people you know you can trust, and bring them in as often as you need,” Mendel said. “Whether that’s just for professional advice or to actual assist on tech for a customer, you want to have those people around you that you can lean on.”
Anthony Buonaspina is the founder and CEO of LI Tech Advisors. He retains a team of 10 employees but accesses a much wider network of opportunities through strategic relationships in areas outside of his specialities.
“I consider my work to be like conducting an orchestra,” Buonaspina said. “I have small team yet we act like a large organization because I can pull in expertise as needed.”
Buonaspina has referred potential customers to other consultants and partners after intake calls if he feels the customer is not yet ready for the services he can provide, or if the customer needs a speciaized technology or advisory capability he doesn’t feel his team can adequately handle.
Ultimately, both Mendel and Buonaspina said this approach has created trusted, lasting relationships with customers because they feel their needs are the top priority in every conversation and decision.
Leading an MSP requires staying true to the mission at hand
If all of the above weren’t enough for MSPs to juggle, they also need to spend time managing their own business and ensuring success for themselves and their teams in addition to supporting the goals of their clients.
To Hans Mize, president of Data41 and the US president of Ingram’s Trust X Alliance group, this also means thinking towards the future of his own business. He brought two other employees with him to attend ONE and wanted them to engage with the community for their own personal and professional growth.
“I’m in the twilight of my career, and that means I’m thinking about what comes next for myself and the business. I want the next generation of leaders to see this community and what we have built, and then take it into the future.”
Buonaspina, too, is beginning to consider what the future holds for himself and his company. As LI Tech Advisors charts an aggressive growth trajectory over the next few years, he is preparing for a time when he is maybe not the best executive to lead his company.
All three executives are excited to embrace the future, through AI and other technologies, and said they look forward to continuing to grow their businesses alongside others in the channel. To a global distributor such as Ingram Micro, that is welcome news. It’s also a rallying cry for the distributor’s approach to the channel.
“When you win, we win,” Bay said on opening night. “We may not know exactly what will happen in the next five years, but we know the trends we are seeing now will shape the future. It’s up to us to help you take advantage of these shifts, especially when it comes to AI and cloud technologies.”
Ingram Micro announced a new loyalty program and Xvantage platform updates during its annual conference. Read more about how the new capabilities will enable MSPs and resellers globally.