Top 10 Highlights From Avnet New Frontiers Conference
The VAR Guy spent August 22 and 23 in Colorado Springs at the Avnet New Frontiers conference. He wasn’t alone. Roughly 250 Sun partners converged on the event to discuss key opportunities across several vertical markets. So, what are Avnet Technology Solutions’ key messages to Sun partners? Here’s a look.
10. Think Long Term: During several meetings, Avnet Technology Solutions executives warned VARs that it takes considerable time to ramp up vertical practices in health care and government. “Once you’re in deep with a vertical like health care, partners find that there’s longevity and profits,” notes Tony Vottima, VP of vertical market solutions for Avnet Technology Solutions America.
9. Acquisitions – Definitely Possible: John E. Paget, president of Avnet Technology Solutions Global, says the company is on the lookout for targeted, strategic acquisitions–especially abroad.
8. Food for Thought: Every break at the event included massive cookies, candy and soda. The VAR Guy felt right at home.
7. Back to School: One of Avnet’s most popular offerings is a “University” program that trains VARs to successfully engage health care customers. Instead of focusing on tech talk, the three-day university program shows VARs how to navigate hospital organizations and find the appropriate decision makers, and how to speak in health care terminology, notes Vottima.
6. Healthy Medicine: Next up, Avnet will likely expand the university program to include a five-day internship program. VARs will be able to spend five days within a hospital setting, working with department chairs and other health care experts to understand business and organization processes.
5. Fish Tales: If you haven’t read about The VAR Guy’s surprise guest at dinner –Â an Angry Trout — take a look.
4. Demo Deals: Sun launched a Partner Growth Fund to help VARs receive sharply discounted or free Sun demo gear, based on the partners’ Sun-related sales.
3. Next Vertical?: If The VAR Guy was a betting man, he’d put money on Avnet pushing next into financial services. That’s not a guarantee… but stay tuned.
2. Sarbanes-Oxley Ain’t So Bad: Guest keynote speaker Paul Sarbanes reminded attendees why Sarbanes-Oxley was such a critical piece of legislation. In less than a year, he noted, Enron went from a Fortune 7 company to bankruptcy. It was the largest such bankruptcy filing… until WorldCom followed.
1. Nearly 5,000 Customers Need Help: Back in the health care sector, Vottima noted that there are roughly 5,000 hospitals in the US, and only about 250 of them are large enough to attract direct-sales interest from technology companies. That leaves roughly 4,750 hospitals for VARs and solutions providers to service.
