Authority Issue 1

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IF THE DEVICE FITS, BUY IT
THE END IS NEAR
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» From the Publisher
Welcome to the start of 2014! Tech Data is full-speed
ahead with targeted solutions that will help you
grow your business. That’s why we’re here and,
more specifically, that’s why we produce Authority.
As we kick off the new year, we’re offering easier-to-read
content prioritized by your needs. We’ve revamped the
magazine by organizing our dynamic, business-building
stories into key sections. You’ll find important stories about
trends, such as our cover story, “Hot Trends for 2014”;
opportunities, like an overview of preparing for the end of
Windows XP support; and about you, where articles such
as “Three Steps to Better Customer Support” and “Shiver
Me Data Breaches” give you practical ways to improve
your business. As a Tech Data-published magazine, we also
feature noteworthy updates on Tech Data business in our
activity section. Use these sections to navigate Authority
and maximize the benefits this magazine can offer.
Our new design epitomizes our goals this year: to offer
fresh, innovative ways to stay ahead of the game. Authority
magazine is about you. We hope you find that to be true
and use these articles, Q&As, tips and steps to guide you
in key growth areas and help you find new opportunities in
the coming year.
Keep Authority bookmarked as your go-to source for advice,
solutions and the latest happenings in the channel all year.
If you like what you see or have some feedback, let us
know by sending a letter to the editor.
Sincerely,
Eric Jessen
Publisher, Authority magazine
2

“This new design and layout epitomizes our goals
this year: to offer you newer, innovative ways to
stay ahead of the game.”
» Editorial Staff
Publisher
Eric Jessen
Editor-in-Chief
Brian Kosoy
Creative Director
Alex Fox
Managing Editor
Jessica Chapman
Lead Designers
Leandro Castro
Amy Leet
Writers
Laura Stewart
Christine Hale
Tracy Blalock
Jonathan Chandler
Authority (ISSN #1940-9249)
is published quarterly by Tech
Data Corporation, 5350 Tech
Data Drive, Clearwater, FL
33760, Phone: 727-539-7429
www.techdata.com.
©Copyright 2014. All rights
reserved. Material in this
publication may not be
reproduced in any form
without written permission
from the publisher. Tech Data
and the Tech Data logo are
registered trademarks of Tech
Data Corporation in the United
States and other countries.
All other trademarks are the
property of their respective
owners.
We welcome your feedback on
Authority. Please drop us a line
at authority@techdata.com or
visit techdata.com/authority.
Contributors
Beth McElveen
Amanda Lee
3

Spring 2014
ON THE COVER
page 18 »
Meet Tech Data’s
New President,
The Americas:
Joe Quaglia
Telling a good story is
more useful than you think
page 34 »
Is Storytelling a Grown-Up
Business Strategy?
page 12 »
4

ACTIVITY
page 8 »
Events
TechSelect Partner
Conference
6 » In the News
Hot off the presses, here are a
few key highlights of recent
Tech Data announcements
TRENDS
page 22 »
OPPORTUNITY
page 40 »
If the Device
Fits, Buy It
Tablets and phablets
shake up the industry
The End
is Near
Preparing for end
of Windows XP and
Office 2003 support
16 » Trend Alert:
Sign Shops Go Digital
26 » Cloudy With an Increasing
Chance of Revenue
Develop a cloud strategy that
ensures success
30 » Maximizing Your
Mobility Mindset
Advice from successful
solution providers
ABOUT YOU
page 48 »
Arr… Shiver
Me Data
Breaches!
Protect your customers
against the dangers
of the cyber seas
46 » Three Steps to Better
Customer Support
Run a help desk with little expense
56 » SMB Spotlight:
Taking the Lead
How to streamline sales and score
more deals
60 » Off the Clock:
Testing, Testing, 1,2,3
5

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In the the In
Hot off the presses, here are a few key
Tech Data Named 2013 Distributor
of the Year by PCM
In January, Tech Data announced that it
has been named PCM’s 2013 Distributor
of the Year. Tech Data was recognized
by PCM for its business performance,
exceptional customer service, strategic
services and high levels of engagement.
The award was presented at PCM’s Vision
IT Conference & Expo. During the past year,
Tech Data delivered results that achieved
improvement targets and increased success
for both companies.
Learn more »
Tech Data Announces Partnership
with Panduit
Tech Data announced its partnership
with Panduit, a global leader in Unified
Physical Infrastructure SM (UPI)-based
solutions, in December. Through the
partnership, Panduit’s physical infrastructure
solutions are now available for purchase
through Tech Data’s Advanced Infrastructure
Solutions (AIS) division. The announcement
was made in conjunction with Tech Data’s AIS
Data Center and Security Solutions Partner
Summit, held at the Vinoy Renaissance Resort
in St. Petersburg, FL.
Learn more »
6

News News
highlights of recent Tech Data announcements:
Tech Data Corporation Completes
Acquisition of Joint Venture
Partner’s Interest in TDMobility
Tech Data completed the acquisition of
Brightstar Corp.’s 50 percent ownership
interest in TDMobility in November. The
TDMobility business unit at Tech Data offers
solution providers the infrastructure needed
to simplify entry into the mobile market,
providing a complete, end-to-end mobility
solution from device selection and activation
to security and mobile device management
in the data center. TDMobility was formed
as a U.S. joint venture between Tech Data
Corporation and Brightstar in April 2011.
Tech Data Earns Top Marks on 2014
Corporate Equality Index
Tech Data received a perfect score of 100
percent on the 2014 Corporate Equality
Index (CEI), a national benchmarking
survey and report on corporate policies
and practices related to LGBT workplace
equality administered by the Human Rights
Campaign Foundation. Tech Data joins the
ranks of 303 major U.S. businesses that also
earned top marks this year. This is the ninth
consecutive year that Tech Data has received
a 100 percent ranking.
Learn more »
Learn more »
Stay updated on Tech Data news
by checking out the latest
releases available here.
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Events
Happy 15th Anniversary, TechSelect
As Tech Data celebrates its 40th
year in 2014, its TechSelect partner
community is also celebrating a
milestone. Here is a look at special
moments from our last TechSelect
Partner Conference in November.
8

Upcoming TechSelect Events
Spring Conference
May 14-17
Summer Regional
June 3
The Biggest Party
of the Year
TechSelect University
August 11-15
Fall Conference
October 22-25
Winter Regional
December 9
Over the last 15 years, the TechSelect
community of solution providers has
helped its members do more, learn more
and become more. So this year they want
to celebrate both your and their success by
taking the party to the Omni Orlando Resort at
ChampionsGate in Orlando, FL. Don’t miss the fun
and more opportunities to grow your business.
JOIN OR LEARN MORE
To learn more about the TechSelect
community, contact Business
Development Rep Scott Mela
at scott.mela@techdata.com
or techselect@techdata.com.
9

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TECH DATA IS YOUR Rx
FOR HEALTHCARE IT
Join TechMED Alliance to grow your Healthcare
IT sales using a broad range of services, products
and solutions:
SALES AND BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Dedicated Business Development Team
Tech Data Integration Services
Private Label Delivery
UID Label support
PARTNERSHIP
Invitations to exclusive TechMED
Partner Summits
Social Networking
Quarterly E-newsletters
Access to Demand Gen Activities
E-Commerce support
Financing Options including Net Terms
Account, Assignmentof Proceeds,
Leasing and Third Party Financing
Web Resource Center
IT Lifecycle Services
Join TechMed Alliance today and get
connected to healthcare opportunities
by contacting your dedicated Public
Sector team at 800-436-5353
or publicsector@techdata.com.
TRAINING/EDUCATION
Hands-on Training at Tech Data’s
Healthcare Solution Pavilion
Certification Training from TDEducation
Sophisticated Suite of Marketing
Programs from TDEngage
Better Solutions.
Better Healthcare.

A HOME ACTIVITY TRENDS OPPORTUNITY ABOUT YOU
Meet Tech Data’s
New President,
The Americas:
Joe Quaglia
By Jessica Chapman,
Managing Editor
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In November,
Tech Data
announced the
appointment
of Joe Quaglia
to president,
the Americas.
In this role, Quaglia
will lead the company’s
extensive sales,
marketing, logistics and
purchasing operations
throughout the United
States, Canada and Latin
America. A 25-year
industry veteran and a
seven-year veteran of
Tech Data, Quaglia had
most recently served as
the company’s senior vice
president, U.S. marketing
and president, TDMobility.
We sat down with Joe to
discuss his plans for his
new role and his vision
for Tech Data’s business
in the Americas.
What are your
priorities as president?
» Quaglia: Our customers
are going to be at the core
center of everything we
do. If we haven’t made that
clear thus far, it will be
made clear. It’s also critical
that we’re continuing to
add value, and that comes
in helping bring a better
level of product, solutions
and services to our reseller
customers that differentiate
them in the market and
help them grow their
revenue and profits much
better than what they have
in the past. By doing that,
we enter into more loyal
and stronger partnerships.
“I want to learn what it is
that they need help with
to solve practical problems
for their customers.”
What are key growth
areas for solution
providers in the next
year and how can Tech
Data help them within
those areas?
» Quaglia: When you think
about growth, you have
to think about cloud and
mobility. We’ve been very
open about the success and
the value in each of those
areas with our TDCloud and
TDMobility offerings. The
other key area is going to
be the continued growth in
the data center. The growth
in AIS—servers, storage,
networking, virtualization
and software—has been
phenomenal. Our core
broadline business is
also important. And of
course we can’t ignore
the client computing side
of the business, as it’s
evolved from desktops,
notebooks, ultrabooks,
tablets, smartphones and
everything in between—
it’s now a very compelling
growth category that,
when attached to mobility,
becomes a new driver
of profit growth for our
resellers.
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What are you most
excited about in
transitioning from
senior vice president
of marketing to
president of the
Americas?
» Quaglia: I now get the
opportunity to interact
with more employees and
learn and interact with the
departmental opportunities
and initiatives that exist
inside the company. Also,
I now have more influence
in pushing Tech Data to be
a better, faster, stronger
company that both myself
and all of our employees
can continue to be
proud of. I now have the
opportunity to influence
that, and that gets me
really excited.
Few people have had
the opportunity to
go from computer
programmer all the
way to president at
one of the world’s
largest technology
distributors. What’s
it like to look back on
that journey?
» Quaglia: I was fortunate
to have had the opportunity
early in my career to learn
about technology and how
it helps drive innovation
and productivity. Starting
as a programmer gave me
the foundation I believe
has helped me stay in
front of the technology
evolutions in our
industry—understanding
technology and its practical
business uses helps create
substantial business value.
Along the way, I had the
opportunity to learn from
so many great people and
leaders in the industry,
which helped shape me
from programmer to
business leader. I still
think about those days
of programming bits and
bytes, but don’t ask me to
compile any programs—in
fact, I don’t think those
programming languages are
used anymore.
FAST FACTS
Things You Didn’t Know About Joe
HOMETOWN:
» Dyer, Indiana
COLLEGE(S):
» Indiana State University
(B.S., Computer Science)
and Butler University
(M.B.A.)
FAVORITE TEAM:
» Chicago Bears
FAVORITE SPORT:
» Baseball
FAVORITE MOVIE:
» The Godfather trilogy
FAVORITE TECH GADGET:
» Samsung Galaxy Note 2
INTERESTING FACT:
» Played baseball (pitcher)
for Indiana State
FAMILY:
» Married 23 years with
two daughters, ages
18 and 20
HOBBIES:
» Fishing, college
football and boating
14

“Our customers are going to be at
the core center of everything we
do. If we haven’t made that clear
thus far, it will be made clear.”
»
Tech Data’s President, the Americas,
Joe Quaglia, formerly senior vice
president of U.S. marketing and
president, TDMobility, interviews Apple
Co-founder Steve Wozniak at Tech
Data’s 2013 Fall Channel Link event in
Anaheim, CA. Quaglia was appointed
President, the Americas, in November.
What message do you
want to share with
customers?
» Quaglia: I want to
learn what it is that they
need help with to solve
practical problems for
their customers. I feel I
have a pretty good handle
on what is needed in
the channel and by our
partners, but I will never
give up constantly asking
what help they need to
be more successful. The
better I can understand
that and have a pulse on
the channel, the better we
can evolve as a company
to serve them. This is still
a human business, and
value and partnership are
still created by human-tohuman
interaction. I can’t
emphasize the value our
channel partners provide
us enough—it’s their
business that makes this
company successful. Our
customers and vendor
partners are at the top of
Tech Data’s priorities.
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NNo one should
be surprised
by the array of
new dynamic digital
signage (DDS) product
announcements
at January’s 2014
International Consumer
Electronic Show (CES).
The DDS market is
predicted to reach $17.1
billion by 2017, according
to Information Handling
Services (IHS). So what are
the opportunities for sign
shops that traditionally
have printed static signage?
And how can IT solution
providers educate sign shops
on the role they play in this
growing vertical?
DDS gives businesses the
opportunity to communicate
up-to-the-minute information
to their audiences, from
changes in price to the
weather. Plus, end users can reap
the benefits of offering
advertising on their
displays. The initial setup
is more expensive to a
sign shop’s customer than
printing static signs, but
their long-term flexibility
makes the digital signs an
asset to their bottom line.
Which end users can sign
shops target for DDS?
Some digital displays are
loaded with software that
makes them easy to setup
and maintain, so end users
with a single location may
be able to install and upload
content without a sign shop’s
assistance. Sign shops whose
SMB customers have multiple
locations, such as gas stations
or regional grocery chains, or
those that want to tie together
multiple displays to a single
controller, are probably best able
to capitalize on DDS by handling
the design, content, operations
and business. End users with
thousands of locations may need
a business more specialized in
digital signage to tackle their jobs.
Sign shops often have
longstanding customer
relationships, so the conversation
about transitioning to DDS should
be an easy one to start. It’s the
solution providers’ responsibility
to make sure sign shops have
access to education, marketing
materials and quality products
to make them an easy sell.
By Christine Hale,
Contributing Writer
16

Desktop
Displays
to
Visualize IT
VISUAL SOLUTIONS
Video Walls
AND EVERYTHING IN-BETWEEN
High-margin visual solutions for:
• Retail
• Hospitality
• Houses of worship
• Waiting rooms
• Education
• And more
Contact
visualsolutions@techdata.com | 800-553-7935
www.techdata.com/techsolutions/systemsandperipheralsit/visualizeit
17

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18

Some things are here for the test of
time—cell phones, Starbucks, Egyptian
pyramids, diamonds, Disney. Other things,
not so much—just think back to parachute
pants, go-go boots, pet rocks, Furbies,
the Macarena and MySpace. We here at
Authority are hoping twerking, selfies and
“YOLO” are added to that list very soon.
Thankfully IT works a tad different. We’ve
seen trends emerge, change the world and
stick around forever—the Internet, email,
tablets and smartphones, to name a few—
and Tech Data is predicting the trends
topping our 2014 list to do the same. Take a
look at notable areas for 2014 and keep an
eye out for how you can take advantage of
these growing opportunities.
MOBILITY AND BRING
YOUR OWN DEVICE
It’s no surprise to see this one on the list,
and IDC’s Director of Infrastructure Channels
Paul Edwards says mobility is not only a key
trend but also an important component to
the third platform. IDC predicts this should
include 29 percent of 2014 IT spending,
according to the analyst firm’s “IDC
Predictions 2014: Battles for Dominance—
and Survival—on the 3rd Platform.”
Edwards recommends IT solution providers
focus on solutions that provide value and
start to engage with those customers who
already have infrastructure skills.
CLOUD
Cloud computing isn’t going anywhere—
not by a long shot, Edwards says. In fact,
solution providers should be taking a close
look at how they want to use the public
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cloud in 2014 and start developing a cloud
migration strategy.
Work with channel partners like Tech Data
and key vendor partners to launch a cloud
strategy ideal for your customers. Learn
more about the cloud forecast by reading
our latest story here.
SOFTWARE-DEFINED
NETWORKING AND
SOFTWARE-DEFINED DATA CENTER
This new trend is still somewhat unknown,
but it’s picking up speed fast, Edwards
says. Many vendors have developed
strategies and it’s becoming a key factor for
networking vendors.
“[Partners and vendors] need to have an
architecture-neutral software-defined data
center strategy,” the IDC says in its recent
report. “A key step will be redeveloping/
adapting offerings to run in an OpenStack,
CloudStack, or other vendor- and
architecture-neutral environment.”
While implementing a software-defined data
center might not be immediately practical, it
will be soon and solution providers should
start taking a look at the solutions that will
work best for their customers.
BIG DATA
IDC predicts data volumes to reach 6 trillion
terabytes in 2014 and big data interests to
shift toward apps and analytic tools.
Big data can be a hard solution to
swallow, so solution providers should
start with understanding the concepts and
opportunities behind big data before trying
to start implementing it. Have a solid grasp
on the trend before you think about selling
it, Edwards says.
The “Data Universe,” as IDC has dubbed
the data explosion, will shape future
investments, bolster future cloud
opportunities and even shift the
marketplace to a more data-centric
market power.
TABLETS AND OTHER
SUCH DEVICES
This one is slightly obvious, and you
undoubtedly are well aware of the
growing opportunities in the mobile
device phenomena.
“The PC slide will continue, albeit more
slowly,” according to IDC, “while tablet
sales grow by a scorching 18 percent
and smartphones grow by 12 percent.
Smartphone sales will be boosted by largerscreen
(phablet) models, which will take
some share from small form-factor tablets.”
Learn more about tablet trends in this
previous Authority article, and read about
the phablet opportunities in our current
article here.
LINE-OF-BUSINESS DECISIONS
While this isn’t exactly a technology trend,
it’s easily one of the most important on our
list. By 2016, Edwards says line-of-business
executives as IT decision-makers is
expected to rise to 40 percent (up
from 25 percent today).
20

That means you might be pitching IT
solutions to a new group in the near future,
most likely marketing, customer service and
sales groups, according to IDC’s report.
Times are changing, and, as these trends
prove, the channel is evolving. Evaluate
these trends and start looking for ways you
take advantage and help your customers
embrace a stronger and faster IT in 2014—
because, you know, YOLO!
MAKING THE
MOST OF IT:
ADVICE
FROM CISCO
If there’s anyone who knows how to lead
innovation, it’s Cisco. Paige Powers, Cisco’s
director of U.S. distribution sales, shared
her insights on how solution providers can
capitalize on IT.
“In the past, we’ve all been focused on selling the
product,” Powers says. “It’s no longer a product
conversation. It’s ‘how do I sell a product?’ [We have
to] learn how to have a different conversation.”
Solution providers should take a look at key business
areas and evaluate what their goals are in each. In
such a fast pace of change, Powers says that solution
providers not already up-to-speed on the latest
solutions risk getting left behind.
So how do you lead your company to the future of IT?
Powers says a few things come in handy: a positive
attitude, the ability to bring things to the middle—be
real—enjoying the people you work with and create
an atmosphere that inspires people. That’s what
makes a leader, Powers says.
ALL ABOUT
PRIORITIES:
ADVICE
FROM HP
John Solomon, senior vice president
of HP’s printing and personal systems
division, took a break to offer Tech
Data solution providers important
advice to winning customers.
1. Understand new technologies: Take time
out to make sure you fully understand the
technology and solutions available. Work
with your vendor partners and get updated
on the latest innovations. Learn about the
innovations and think about these trends,
he says.
2. Get trained: “If [solution providers] don’t
sell the new style of IT, then it’s not going
to work,” Solomon says. With the many
trends emerging in 2014, it’s crucial to
learn and find opportunities to incorporate
new trends. Don’t miss the boat on
emerging trends by not keeping yourself
up-to-date.
3. Secure printing: Needless to say, one of the
leaders of HP’s printing division couldn’t
exactly leave this off his list—and for
good reason. With cloud taking increasing
priority in IT offices everywhere and
data soaring in leaps and bounds, more
companies are looking to increase security
in every area. Printing is no different, and
Solomon recommends solution providers
start their search with solutions like HP
Access Control.
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If theDevice Fits,
BUY IT
TABLETS AND
PHABLETS
SHAKE UP
THE INDUSTRY
22

Notebooks, tablets, hybrids, phablets …
The landscape is changing, and it’s up to
you to adapt to it or risk losing customers.
They made their debut in 2010, but by 2015
tablets are already predicted to outsell
PCs. Apple and Microsoft are going with
the flow—in fact, Apple created the flow
with its iPad. Microsoft’s new version of
Windows has been refreshed to play nicer
with tablets and their fab counterparts, the
phablets. And now there’s a new breed of
hybrid computers that transform easily from
a desktop PC to a tablet.
IT managers around the globe are navigating
through an array of new mobile file
management and security solutions to
make BYOD work for their companies.
Users want a device they can use in the
boardroom, hand off to their four-yearold
to watch videos, check personal
email when they get home and edit
Excel files for work on-the-go. But
they also need to make calls and text
message to get personal and company
business done. So what’s the best
device for your customers?
Hybrids — The Best
Of Both Worlds
When the touch-optimized Windows 8
OS was unveiled, a new breed of device
was born to capitalize on the new interface.
Part PC and part tablet, they’ve got highquality
displays, long battery life and large
storage capabilities—the best of both
worlds. Hybrids can tackle the most
memory-dependent productivity tasks
from editing in Word to designing in
AutoCAD when used as a traditional
notebook with a keyboard. When
used as a tablet, they’re perfect for
watching movies, surfing the web
and reading books.
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Some users say the updated Windows 8.1 is in
its most logical home when used on a hybrid,
where it can stretch its legs to accomplish the
productivity tasks Windows is known for and
also exhibit the cutting-edge touch capabilities
that have been added to Windows 8.
Are Phablets The Next Big Thing?
If you don’t know what a phablet is yet, it’s time
to update your vocabulary. Phablets are tablet
devices with 5-inch or larger screens that also have
cell phone capabilities. Basically, it’s a device that lets
users have their cake and eat it too. Sure phablets are
larger than your average pocket, but it might be easier to
change the way tailors sew than change the way business
and personal technology converge. Why carry a phone and
a notebook or tablet if you can get all the functionality and
productivity applications you need in one device?
Samsung was the first to popularize phablets with its Galaxy
Note series. While some scoffed at the enormity of their
screens, their huge success, especially in Asian markets,
has made them legions of believers.
24

LG has since joined the game
with its Optimus G Pro, Nokia is
coming out with its Lumia running
Windows 8.1, and Sony, Lenovo,
HTC and many more are selling
them as well. To top it off, the
Internet is abuzz with rumors that
Apple is developing its own phablet.
As the leader in the tablet market with
the iPad and the smartphone-trendsetting
iPhone, an Apple iPhab (isn’t that catchy?)
could revolutionize the device industry as
we know it. While the iPad wasn’t launched
with the intention of being the darling of the
enterprise community, it has quickly evolved
into a business-friendly tool with a host of apps
and accessories that add functionality and boost
productivity. An iPhab could take that to the
next level with a larger screen than the iPhone,
allowing it to accomplish more enterprise tasks
easily, such as word processing and
file management.
How Much Shelf Space Should
You Devote To Phablets?
With some screens approaching 7 inches,
deciding to carry a variety of phablets is
no small decision. The U.S. market hasn’t
latched on to the trend as fast as our Asian
counterparts. Visiongain estimates that
global phablet revenues will total $46 billion
in 2013 and will “constitute a significant
portion of global smartphone shipments
by 2018. They will become cornerstones
around which the next-generation
product lines of leading OEMs will be
built.” BI Intelligence also expects
phablets to grow at a 63 percent
annual rate from 150 million in
2013 to 350 million by 2016.
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Cloudy with an
INCREASING CHANCE
Develop a cloud
strategy that
ensures success
By Laura Stewart,
Contributing Writer
Companies who can offer a seamless way
to replicate infrastructures and move
them between servers will be invaluable
enablers to the growth of the public cloud.
26

OF REVENUE
The channel’s forecast is
looking cloudier by the day,
and while this might put a
damper on your beach plans,
it’s good news for those
interested in capitalizing
on the growing demand for
cloud services.
In a market analysis
conducted at the end of
2012, International Data
Corporation (IDC) found that
businesses had shifted from
regarding cloud as a solution
to “research and explore”
to instead seeing it as one
to “plan and deploy.” The
conversation has shifted
from “should we use cloud
services?” to “how should we
use cloud services?”
Although a somewhat
obvious example, the
evolution of the World
Wide Web sheds some
light on how enormous
cloud opportunities will
become in the coming years.
Coincidentally, the United
Nations passed a resolution
in 2012 declaring Internet
access a fundamental
human right. The Internet
has become ubiquitous,
connecting us as businesses,
as families, as
members of a global
community. It has
reshaped the way
we live, and cloud computing
is at the forefront of the next
wave of expansion.
When it comes to capitalizing
on the true scalability and
cost-efficiency of the cloud,
the public cloud is key.
IDC predicts that public IT
cloud services will reach
$47.4 billion in 2013 and
grow to more than $107
billion by the end of 2017—
that’s a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 23.5
percent—five times that of
the industry overall. As the
public cloud grows, so does
the need for cloud migration
services. Companies who
can offer a seamless way to
replicate infrastructures and
move them between servers
will be invaluable enablers to
the growth of the
public cloud.
One developing aspect
of the migration story
is the concept of intercloud
migration (or “cloud
hopping”). The fairly new
trend was slow to take off but
is quickly gaining steam. SaaS
providers like Racemi and
Rivermeadow are capitalizing
on the opportunity to
offer automated migration
services, moving existing
servers (physical or virtual)
into the cloud or from one
cloud provider to another,
and there will be many more
to come.
IT solutions are never static,
and those with staying
power carry tremendous
opportunity in their wake as
they continue to evolve and
adapt to the changing needs
of the channel. Solution
providers who have an
eye on the ever-changing
forecast—who anticipate
and capitalize on shifts—will
continue to dance in the rain
of cloud revenue rather than
fear the storm.
HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR
MIGRATION STRATEGY
Start putting your cloud
migration strategy together
and get a head start on the
latest channel trends. Tech
Data’s TDCloud team has
cloud migration specialists
ready to help develop the
strategy best for you. Get in
touch with them today:
• Visit the TDCloud website
• Give them a call at
800-237-8931, ext. 87663
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One Stop. One Shop.
All Your Data Center Solutions.
Tech Data’s Advanced Infrastructure Solutions

Tech Data’s Advanced Infrastructure Solutions (AIS) team is dedicated to
offering the latest data center technologies to help resellers profitably
sell, deploy and manage. Through our vendor relationships, we’re
able to provide resellers access to one of the channel’s broadest data
center solutions in key focus areas, including virtualization, unified
communications, high-end networking, servers and storage, power and
energy, and security.
To learn how Tech Data can help strengthen your data
center solutions practice, visit our Solutions Hub, email
aisdatacenter@techdata.com or call 800-237-8931.
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MAXIMIZING
» YOUR
MOBILITY
MINDSET
ADVICE FROM SUCCESSFUL
SOLUTION PROVIDERS
BY CHRISTINE HALE, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Mobility is top-of-mind for every end user, so it’s no surprise that
the IT channel is clamoring to offer the latest solutions. But how
do you make it a profitable part of your business when so many
carriers are vying for your customers business? To help resolve
the confusion, we got some advice from three fellow solution
providers and found out how you can take on mobility and get
into this growing market:
» Dan Hurd, president, Complete Tablet Solutions
» Tom Bethel, operations manager, ACL Computers, Inc.
» Darren Basch, director of sales and marketing, DH Wireless Solutions
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How long have you
offered mobility?
» Hurd: Complete Tablet
Solutions has been in the
mobility business since
2004, providing full sales,
service and support, as
well as development and
integration of smart forms
and mobile applications.
» Bethel: ACL Computers
started offering mobility as
a service in January 2013.
» Basch: DH Wireless
Solutions has been a
premier value-added
reseller (VAR) and systems
integrator (SI) for mobile
modem and router devices
for 12-plus years.
What recommendations
would you have to other
service providers?
» Hurd: The top focus for
CTS is to take care of our
customers. This seems
simple, but it amazes me
how many companies lose
sight of this. Additionally,
managed service providers
should take inventory of
their strengths then look to
partners like TDMobility to
fill the gaps.
» Bethel: Listen to your
customers and offer
solutions that meet their
specific needs. Tech Data
and TDMobility have
experts in all areas who are
always willing to join you on
a conference call and help
you provide the best overall
solution and value to your
customer.
» Basch: Provide extra
values to your customers
and work within your core
strength. Don’t just sell on
price!
How do you sell your
customers on adding
mobility at point of
purchase?
» Hurd: At this time, almost
all retailers and companies
know they need mobility.
Now it’s more a matter of
knowing how to deliver
the solution. Mobility
adds such a broad array of
capabilities and benefits
for increasing interaction
for retail customers that it’s
the direction for all but the
laggards in the industry.
» Bethel: Many times just
asking some questions at
the point of purchase can
lead to new opportunities.
I always ask my customers
purchasing Wi-Fi-only
tablets if they considered a
cellular tablet instead. When
I tell them I can provide the
cellular version at almost
the same cost, they usually
switch to the cellular option.
» Basch: We walk each
customer through the
value of what mobility can
do for them. Redundancy,
flexibility and speed of
service are just a couple
quick points.
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What are some trends
you’ve noticed
within your mobility
business?
» Hurd: Mobility is slowly
maturing such that
actual best practices are
emerging and becoming
established, and mobile
device management (MDM),
cloud, security features, and
provisioning and deployment
tools continue to evolve. The
dramatic growth in mobility
has happened faster than
broad technical competence
and standardized policies
could evolve, so it is
taking some time for the IT
community to define an IT
management approach.
» Bethel: Employees want to
be able to use their devices
in the office, on the road and
at home. Today’s employees
are constantly working and
constantly on the go. Most
employees need to stay
productive whether they
are in the office or not. All
of these trends present
challenges but also create
enormous opportunities.
» Basch: Customers are
becoming more mobilitycentric.
This positions
mobility as a priority when
developing strategies to
capture the market.
How does Tech Data’s
mobile offering,
TDMobility, benefit
your customers?
» Hurd: We have access to
a number of products and
services from all of the top
wireless carriers by aligning
with TDMobility, which
streamlines our access to
the things our customers
need without us having to
develop them internally
or sign multiple contracts
with individual product,
software and service
companies.
» Bethel: TDMobility has
enabled us to be a onestop
shop for all of our
customers’ mobility needs.
We can sell products
not previously offered
through distribution at
deeper discounts because
of the additional revenue
stream we receive from
[Tech Data’s] partnership
with Verizon. We now get
paid on activating the
devices for our customers
in addition to the profit
on the hardware sale. This
additional revenue from
the activation commission
allows us to offer more
competitive pricing to our
customers.
» Basch: Tech Data bridges
the gap so customers
get expertise on many
devices from a single
source. It elevates existing
relationships when
establishing connections
to services and products
that will solve the
customer needs.
What impact has
TDMobility had on
your business?
» Hurd: It is safe to say that
TDMobility added more
than 10 percent growth
to CTS year-over-year in
2013 and contributed to
our winning the Tech Data
CX1 award for achieving
420 percent growth in sales
with Tech Data last year.
Moreover, the margins on
TDMobility sales far exceed
standard hardware margins.
» Bethel: TDMobility
enabled us to partner
with Verizon and generate
revenue on hardware and
activation of the devices.
TDMobility also routinely
communicates additional
promotions and offerings
that help us sell more
products and earn more
revenue. TDMobility also
sends us customer leads,
leading to many new
customers over the past
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few years who we would have never
known about without the TDMobility
and Verizon lead program.
» Basch: Through our partnership with
Verizon, TDMobility has established
additional avenues that help increase
efficiency with the Verizon regional sales
teams. In the end, this translates to better
customer service as well as stronger
partnerships. This has also helped
increase corporate branding and overall
company credibility.
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Is Storytelling
a Grown-Up
Business Strategy?
By Tracy Blalock,
Contributing Writer
Once upon a time you were sitting in a conference hall. You
anxiously checked your watch every 30 seconds and kept your
smartphone front and center, hoping for any excuse to usher
yourself out and put an end to the nonstop percentages and
bullet points flooding the screen.
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Telling a good story is more useful than you think
Fast-forward to another time in a very
different conference hall. You sit on
the edge of your seat. You can hear a
pin drop and hang on every word as the
presenter shares a riveting story complete
with drama, courage and triumph. As it
concludes, applause and cheers erupt
throughout the room.
Where would you rather be sitting?
With practice, storytelling can transform
the way you engage and motivate
stakeholders, employees and customers.
When you consider annual book sales,
kindle downloads and box office receipts,
our fascination with stories is epic.
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» THE INSIDE SCOOP ON STORIES
While PowerPoint
presentations filled with
bullet points activate the
language processing parts
of our brain, a story puts
our entire brain to work,
says Leo Widrich in his
article, “The Science of
Storytelling: Why Telling a
Story is the Most Powerful
Way to Activate Our Brains.”
Our brains aren’t designed
to understand logic or
retain facts. Rather, we’re
hard-wired to relate to
stories—they match the
way we think, Widrich says.
A recent Stanford University
study even found that
stories are 22 times more
memorable than facts.
Stanford Graduate School
of Business marketing
professor Jennifer Aaker
went on to explain that
stories consistently make
a stronger impact than
numbers and bullets. In her
podcast, “Harnessing the
Power of Stories,” Aaker
cites one study where
researchers had students
make a one-minute pitch
to another student. On
average, they used 2.5
statistics in their pitch and
just one in ten worked in
a story. After ten minutes,
listeners were asked to
write down everything they
remembered. Only five
percent cited a statistic
and a whopping 63 percent
remembered the story.
“Our brains aren’t designed to understand
logic or retain facts. Rather, we’re hardwired
to relate to stories—they match
the way we think.”
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Stories help businesses connect
with prospects, convey their
expertise and values, and create
customer memories that convert.
» FROM BEDTIME TO BOARDROOMS
Jim Blasingame, one of the leading experts on small
business and entrepreneurship, refers to the three Cs
of business storytelling in his article, “Use the Power
of Storytelling to Grow Your Small Business.” Stories
are the perfect way for high-tech companies to deliver
high-touch interactions, he says. Specifically, he
says stories help businesses connect with prospects,
convey their expertise and values, and create customer
memories that convert.
WHY EMBRACE BUSINESS STORYTELLING?
In her podcast, “Harnessing the Power of Stories,” Jennifer Aaker
offers some examples of why storytelling is as useful for
businesses as it is for bedtime stories, including:
• Humanizes your brand, allowing you to establish a deeper customer connection
• Shapes how others see you, influencing whether they want to buy from you
• Makes people slow down and listen
• Provides context and meaning for your solutions
• Persuades and moves people to action
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Aaker references the common Save the Children campaigns to illustrate the power
of stories. The charity ran two versions of an ad to raise funds—the first focused on
statistics and facts about problems facing children in Africa; the second shared the story
of seven-year-old girl. While both versions asked readers to donate, readers who were
exposed to the story about the young girl donated twice as much.
» A NEW CHAPTER IN YOUR MARKETING CONTENT
Social media has taken storytelling to a whole new level by making us comfortable
having conversations with companies, says Shane Snow, chief creative officer of
Contently, in his article, “This Will be the #1 Business Skill of the Next 5 Years.” He
advises businesses to start thinking of themselves as publishers, adding that storytelling
is quickly becoming an essential skill every company needs to master or risk being left
out of these conversations.
While you might not ever be a threat to James Cameron, Aaker says storytelling is a
learned skill that, once you start practicing, changes the lens through which you—
and your customers—view things.
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Businesses need to think of themselves as
publishers. Storytelling is quickly becoming an
essential skill every company needs to master
or risk being left out of these conversations.
» EVERY COMPANY HAS A STORY
Author of “Likeable Social
Media” Dave Kerpen says
every company has a story
to tell about how they
started—you don’t have
to be Facebook’s Mark
Zuckerburg to have a
cool story.
Start with the mission
and personality of your
brand to begin writing
your story. Find a unique
story about how you got
into the business or how
your product or service
is created. Think about
the people or ideas that
drive your business.
These are the stories
that humanize you and
make your company more
appealing, Kerpen says in
Michael Steizner’s podcast,
“Storytelling: Why Stories
Attract More Customers.”
The transition from story to
sales pitch is subtle—and
starts with making sure you
have the right audience,
Kerpen says. If you do,
the transition will happen
naturally. Your story is the
means to helping your
customers connect the dots
between their problems and
how you can solve them.
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THE END
By Laura Stewart,
Contributing Writer
IS NEAR
Preparing for the end of Windows
XP and Office 2003 support
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You’ve been hearing it for a while. April 8, 2014, marks the day
that support for Windows XP and Office 2003 will officially
end. It also marks the day consumers and businesses who
haven’t yet upgraded their systems will be exposed to a
whole host of malicious coders who will know not only how
unprotected they are but also how to take full advantage of it.
Just four months from the
deadline, Netmarketshare.
com reported that Windows
XP held more than 30
percent market share,
suggesting that there are
still plenty of people who
need to hear about both
the benefits of upgrading
and the risks of continuing
to use an unsupported
operating system.
Technical code, no matter
how well written, will
never be completely
impenetrable to external
threats. In fact, malware
becomes increasingly more
sophisticated every day
and aficionados looking
to find loopholes will
find and exploit them any
chance they get. Using an
unsupported operating
system is like heading out to
sea in a leaky boat.
Consider the analogy that
compares a computer
operating system to a
human operating system.
We know that no system
is withvout weakness, but
there are ways to minimize
exposure and maximize
protection from potentially
damaging external threats.
GET READY TO UPGRADE
The clock is ticking down to April 8, so it’s long past
time to start upgrading your customers’ operating
systems. Tech Data’s Microsoft team has all the
details and easy-to-follow steps to ensure your
customers are fully supported when April rolls
around. Give the team a call to start upgrading:
800-237-8931, ext. 82031, opt. 6
TDMicrosoft@techdata.com
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We take care of our immune
systems—eat right, exercise,
sleep—but we also seek
extra assurances from
professionals who monitor
our health and look for signs
that our system has been
compromised.
Now imagine having a
doctor who could update
your genetic code whenever
a loophole or point of
weakness was detected,
thereby closing off those
openings and allowing your
immune system to work
more effectively. While
it may read like a science
fiction novel when we’re
thinking about human
physiology, it’s undeniably
analogous to what happens
throughout the life of a
supported operating system
or software program at
Microsoft—and it’s a very
good thing.
Supported Microsoft
operating systems and
programs are covered
in a variety of ways,
but arguably the most
important benefit is security
surveillance and subsequent
updates. Microsoft
runs frequent security
intelligence reports offering
“an in-depth perspective
on software vulnerabilities
and exploits, malware,
potentially unwanted
software, and malicious
websites,” according to the
Microsoft Security Response
Center website. If a threat
or loophole is detected, the
Microsoft Security Response
Center creates an update to
close it before it becomes a
problem.
“Modern operating systems
such as Windows 8
include advanced security
technologies that are
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Malware becomes more and more sophisticated
every day and aficionados looking to find
loopholes will find and exploit them any chance
they get. Using an unsupported operating system
is like heading out to sea in a leaky boat.
specifically designed
to make it harder, more
complex, more expensive
and, therefore, less
appealing for cybercriminals
to exploit vulnerabilities,”
says Tim Rains, director
of Microsoft Trustworthy
Computing, in an article on
Microsoft Newscenter. “The
data [found in Microsoft’s
‘Security Intelligence
Report’]help illustrate
the positive impact that
security innovations in
newer operating systems
are having.”
Combine all of this with the additional benefits of nonsecurity
hotfixes, support options (free or paid) and online
technical content updates—not to mention a superior
user experience—against the costs of upgrading, and the
upgrade will win every time.
True there are costs to consider, including backing up old
data and the likely need for new hardware that can handle
the load of a new system. Yet, with so many incentives on
PCs, notebooks and tablets designed to encourage the
switch, there’s plenty of opportunity to turn a potential
“con” into a definite “pro” for upgrading. No matter how
you stack up the comparison, the costs of not upgrading
are going to be far greater every time.
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THREE STEPS
TO BETTER
CUSTOMER
SUPPORT
RUN YOUR OWN
HELP DESK WITH
LITTLE EXPENSE
BY JONATHAN CHANDLER,
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Supporting customers isn’t easy—in fact, it’s downright hard
to reach every customer and ensure they’re happy with the
services you provide. So how do you run a help desk that
customers actually like?
Although it might sound like a big undertaking, running a help desk is a helpful
tool for growing your business, says Jim Cooper, senior manager of technical
services at Tech Data. Not only is it a valuable service to improve customer
support but also a potential necessity, says Cooper, who oversees Tech Data’s
TDEducation, TDOnCall and TeleSmart services. Leading experts like Tech
Data’s TDOnCall are always available to offer the complete help desk package
to maximize your customers’ support, but here are a few more suggestions to
provide top-notch customer support with little expense.
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1
2
3
EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS
Not every solution requires a team of experts. Ideally, you want to offer a
24/7 solution, but that’s expensive, Cooper says. If a full-fledged help desk
is too much to take on, consider a simple answering service designed to help
customers who call in or start partnering with other help desks, like Tech
Data’s TDOnCall, to ensure customers have 24/7 support—few things will
involve them more closely than providing day-to-day support for their users,
Cooper says.
TIMELY FOLLOW-UP
Nothing sets a customer off like not getting a response to an issue.
That’s why you should be especially careful with call-back scenarios,
Cooper says. It’s an easy problem to have when customers often submit
requests for support to an individual instead of the team. Try setting up
a shared inbox and voicemail that multiple employees can use to field
calls together—that way you ensure the customer’s problem is solved as
quickly as possible.
SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
Make sure to have a concrete understanding of your customer needs and
provide a response in a clear and concise form, detailing what you will
and will not be able to do—and be prepared to act on it, Cooper says.
Structure your support delivery to meet those expectations. In other
words, match the skills of employees fielding calls to the complexity of
the problem they will be receiving.
The help desk is a must-have for solution providers, but it’s not without risks.
Be sure you’re focused on improving the end-user experience. If you listen to
your customers, they will tell you exactly how you can improve, Cooper says.
“Back in the day, few people derived revenue from services,” Cooper says.
“Now it’s a high-margin business. You have to create advocates among the
people who are using [the help desk].”
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Arrr...
By Laura Stewart,
Contributing Writer
Dat
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Shiver Me
a Breaches!
Protect your customers against
the dangers of the cyber seas
Attention all ye land lubbers: Thar be pirates
approachin’—and thar fixin’ to collect a bounty or
they’ll be throwin’ yer data into Davy Jones’s locker.
No one ever expects to become a victim of piracy—
especially those that don’t regularly take to the high
seas—but don’t let your customers be fooled into thinking
that they can ever let down their guard. As long as there
is something to lose, there will be criminals trying to
take it, and data files are no exception.
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Whether on land or sea,
wrongdoers are always
looking for ways to
strike when potential victims least
expect it. Often the goal is strictly
malicious in nature—to simply do
harm to people or their property—
as is the case with many forms
of malware in the cyber-criminal
world. But just as traditional
criminals aren’t relegated to one
type of unlawful activity, neither
are cyber menaces. The goal isn’t
always to simply inflict harm.
Sometimes it’s to take something
that is not rightfully theirs.
Cybercrime can take many forms,
and an increasingly recurring
one is commonly referred to
as Ransomware. Ransomware
is far from new to the cybercriminal
scene, but it gained some
momentum this past fall when a
new virus known as CryptoLocker
made headlines. Where typical
Ransomware will lock victims’
computers unless a ransom is paid,
Crypto authors raised the stakes
by going after files: photos, videos
and documents.
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Once the virus has
encrypted the targeted
files, victims see a menacing
splash screen notifying
them that their “important”
files have been encrypted.
And in case that’s not bad
enough, here’s the walkthe-plank
moment: There’s
a timer counting down to
your impending doom. Pay
up to gain access to a private
key held by the extortionists
themselves, or your files will
be destroyed. Game over.
Like many malware viruses,
CryptoLocker spreads
mostly by spam email that,
according to a Symantec
Q&A, “uses social media
tactics to try to entice
victims into opening an
attached zip file.” Inside
the .zip file is typically
an executable disguised
to look like something
you might actually want
to open—shipping
information, invoices or
other seemingly benign
documents—while it’s
going after your files. By
the time the virus reveals
itself the damage is done.
In the sea of malware,
Ransomware makes up
a fairly small portion
of criminal activity.
Symantec estimates that
approximately $5 million
per year is currently being
extorted from victims of
Ransomware attacks and—
while it amounts to a small
portion of the whopping
$110 billion spent annually
on malware protection,
according to Symantec—it
appears to be growing in
popularity.
Researchers estimate
that 200,000 to 250,000
systems were infected
worldwide in the first 100
days of the CryptoLocker
threat, according to a
recent report published
by Dell SecureWoks.
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And chances are it’s just a sign of more sophisticated
malware to come.
If you’re a small-business owner, be extra wary. Criminals
love to make an impact, and your ship is the perfect
target—easier to sink than a large corporate freighter
with a dedicated IT department running defense, and
potentially more satisfying than holding a portion of a
large company’s files for ransom. In fact, according to
Dell SecureWorks, business professionals appeared to
be the first victims targeted in the CryptoLocker scam,
and CryptoLocker goes after anything that’s locally
connected or network-attached, including cloud-based
storage, so even backup files are at risk.
So, what can you do to guard yourself and your
customers? First and foremost is the advice that you
already know: Keep your systems and software up-todate.
This safeguard is as essential as it is simple. Old,
unsupported operating systems and software are at a
much higher risk for infection.
Perhaps equally important
is remaining vigilant
with regard to mitigating
risk. With new variants
of malware rearing their
ugly heads every day, the
only way to guard against
them is to not lose sight
of the dangers of being
online, especially email.
According to Dell’s CTU
researchers, email is still
the top infection vector
for both malware and
CryptoLocker.
By connecting us, it also
exposes us. Leave the
doors unlocked and you
might as well invite the
cyber criminals in yourself.
And what if the
unthinkable happens?
Faced with potentially
devastating losses,
Ransomware offers victims
a glimmer of hope that
they can undo the damage.
All they have to do is pay
the ransom. But there’s an
old saying that holds true
here: Never trust a pirate—
or any criminal for that
matter.
Paying crooks is never
the solution. Countless
blogs and reports from
companies like Symantec,
Microsoft and Dell have
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stated this in no uncertain
terms. Not only will paying
cyber thieves support the
continuation of illegal
activity and allow them
to gain momentum, but
there is also the possibility
that your files will not be
restored even after the
ransom is paid.
As technology becomes
more sophisticated, so
does criminal activity.
Backing up files is a
good idea, but it’s not
enough. Dell recommends
a constant re-evaluation
of permissions on
shared network drives
and aggressive security
measures, and countless
cyber-security firms like
McAfee offer security
patches that detect
potential threats and stop
them from running.
Thieving is a game,
and just like any other
criminal, Ransomware
thugs are hoping to invoke
fear as their virus spreads
and use one of the most
powerful motivators of
all against you: hope.
That’s the bad news. The
good news is you can
guard yourself and your
company by devising
a proactive malware
strategy. Resources like
Tech Data’s security team
are always prepared to
make sure you’re armed
with the latest knowledge
and tools necessary
to protect yourself,
your company and your
customers. Whatever new
direction malware takes,
make sure you and your
customers are ready.
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SMB Spotlight
Take the Lead
How to streamline sales
and score more deals
By Tracy Blalock, Contributing Writer
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It’s a typical Monday, and you need
more leads—or at least you think
you do. You’re again fighting the
constant conundrum: You’ve found
some solid leads, yet you’ve still
got a low close ratio. You need
more quality leads fast, if only
to turn dreadful Mondays into
something a little more positive.
The harsh reality is 55 percent of
companies don’t ever respond to
new sales leads, Tammy Weintrab
reports for insidesales.com in her
article, “5 Lead Management Tips
for Small Business.” In fact, 80
percent of leads passed to sales
are lost or wasted—and around
70 percent of potential buyers go
on to buy from competitors, lead
generation expert Brian Carroll
estimates in his e-book, “Start with
a Lead.”
Designing an effective lead
management system is a dynamic
process that evolves over time,
but there are a few things you can
easily implement to create a rocksolid
lead foundation.
» Quality Over Quantity
A Center for Exhibition Industry Research study found that an average face-to-face B2B sales
call across all industries costs around $596. Think about how many sales calls your company
makes a day and the average calls it takes to close a deal. You can’t afford to waste time on
tire-kickers—the key is to find hot leads. To do that, you need a few things first.
• Understand your ideal customer.
Develop a customer profile that
includes details like annual revenue,
business drivers and where
customers go for information,
Susie Brown, business author
and blogger, recommends in her
leadspace.com article, “Small
Business Advice: Lead Management
and Your B2B’s Success.” Identify
common characteristics of your most
profitable customers.
• Clearly define what constitutes
a sales-ready lead. Leverage
your customer profile, formulate
strategic questions that relate
to your target requirements and
facilitate qualification.
• Create a flowchart of your
customers’ buy cycles. Outline
the process to identify critical
touch points.
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» All Leads Aren’t
Created Equal
An effective lead scoring
system keeps sales focused
on hot leads first. According
to salesforce.com article “5
Tips for Lead Management
Success,” a grading system
is a useful way to prioritize
leads. Based on this system,
leads are scored as hot,
warm or cold.
The article recommends
evaluating customer touch
points and determining
which actions signal intent
versus interest. For example,
prospects who attend
webinars, click on email
links and read blog posts are
showing interest—earning
a lower score. Contrast
that with prospects who
view pricing pages, specific
solution pages or request
product demonstrations.
These actions show intent
to buy and indicate hot
leads. By evaluating
prospects’ activity, you have
considerable insight into
which leads have the most
potential and where you
should start.
Think about how many sales
calls your company makes a day
and the average calls it takes to
close a deal. You can’t afford to
waste time on tire-kickers.
Three Reasons
You Need a Lead
Management System*
• Up to 50 percent buy
from the business
that responds the
fastest. Considering
that after the first hour,
you’re 10 times less
likely to reach a new
lead, every second you
wait works against you.
• Nearly 75 percent
of new leads never
hear back. Scribbling
contact information on
Post-it notes doesn’t
qualify as a system.
You need a consistent,
repeatable process that
ensures follow-up.
• Half of new leads
aren’t ready to
buy. Don’t scrap the
lead. Design a lead
nurturing system so
you’re positioned front
and center when it’s
decision time.
* “5 Lead Management Tips for
Small Business,” Tammy Weintrab,
InsideSales.com
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80 percent of leads passed to sales are lost or
wasted—and around 70 percent of these go on
to buy from competitors, says lead generation
expert Brian Carroll.
» From Leads
to Relationships
But determining the
quality of your leads
and rating them on
buying potential is only
half the battle—as any
good sales force knows,
building a customer
relationship is critical
step. That’s where
collaboration comes in.
Weintraub suggests using
a shared spreadsheet
on Google Drive or
similar program to gather
and share as much
information about leads
as possible. By using a
system everyone on your
team can access, you
ensure each employee
knows and understands
the potential customer
as best as possible. You
can analyze won and
lost deals, engagement
strategies used and how
many interactions it took
to close a deal to help
you gain more successful
leads in the future.
It’s easy to get
overwhelmed when
you’re trying to do
everything at once.
Follow these tips
to turn anxiety into
efficiency—and Monday
morning meetings
into an opportunity to
reward your team with
the highest close ratios.
That should brighten up
your Monday.
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Off the Clock
BY CHRISTINE HALE,
CONTRIBUTING
WRITER
Before he became
an IT channel guru,
Venture Technologies
CEO Gerard Gibert was
making his family laugh
by imitating other
people’s voices. But
he didn’t stop there.
Gibert quickly made a
habit of working the
broadcasting business
when he wasn’t
climbing his way up
the IT channel.
“Every time America had an
AM radio jock that was high
energy and had a delivery
you could recognize, I would
make fun of [him or her]
as a child and would walk
around doing it like I was
a radio DJ,” Gibert says.
With Venture’s focus on
private and public sector
customers, it’s no surprise
he enjoys helping out local
school sports with public
address announcements.
His love of voices and sound
became a life-long passion
that started at a local radio
station while in high school.
“I got on with the local radio
station, and another guy
and I did reviews of albums
that were popular with kids
our age,” Gibert says. “Of
course, it always aired at
like midnight on a Saturday
night. I just liked being
behind the microphone.”
Before long Gibert found
himself behind the
microphone a local high
school games. When he
wasn’t selling IT solutions
and starting Venture
Technologies, he could
be found announcing the
games for any local high
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school—baseball was his
sport of choice, he says.
While Gibert stopped
announcing a few years ago
to travel to his son’s baseball
games with Texas Tech, he
still loves announcing at
games and says he could
easily slip back into his
favorite pastime if he
was interested.
“Most of the time the
folks that do that at the
high school level aren’t
professional announcers,”
Gibert says. “But I would
put my skills against most
of the professionals.”
Venture Technologies is
an IT solutions provider
and managed services
provider founded in 1986
that delivers a variety of IT
infrastructure solutions to
thousands of private and
public sector customers.
The company has since
expanded across five states,
but Gibert says fitting extra
time in for things he loves
is never a challenge.
Occasionally his professional
and off-the-clock jobs
even intersect. When
the local high school in
Ridgeland, Miss. (where
Venture Technologies is
headquartered) renovated
its football stadium, it
was natural for Gibert to
help design their sound
system and connect them
with vendors that could
build what they needed.
»
Venture Technologies CEO Gerard Gibert offers his skills behind the
microphone at local high school sports games when he is not busy
keeping an eye on the latest trends in the IT channel.
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