Thursday’s first-ever ScanSource Go Remote Virtual Summit attracted more than 600 partners interested in providing customers with work-from-home products and services. Go Remote is a campaign for ScanSource and Intelisys partners focused on the remote workforce opportunity.

ScanSource Go Remote featured more than 20 suppliers and a virtual supplier showcase. It also featured hot-seat and on-demand sessions, lightning rounds and live chats. Furthermore, attendees got access to resources to sell and upsell Go Remote solutions.

ScanSource’s Ansley Hoke

“The virtual summit is one piece of a bigger sales and enablement campaign called Go Remote,” Ansley Hoke, global marketing vice president at ScanSource, told Channel Partners. “It’s a way we educate our partners, show different offers and our abilities from a ScanSource and Intelisys perspective in the remote workspace.”

Rethinking Business

Like many organizations, ScanSource is rethinking its businesses during the pandemic. The ScanSource virtual summit is another way for the distributor to engage with partners and deliver key messaging.

Summit attendees attended sessions on UCaaS, networking and security, among other technologies. But that’s not all. The conference also addressed the workplace of the future. Attendees learned how ScanSource helps partners start the Go Remote conversation and use ready-to-go products, solutions and services.

Ray Nelson, senior vice president, technical sales and services at ScanSource, led a hot-seat session. He explored how ScanSource is looking at the workplace of future and enabling its partners with integrated offers and products.

ScanSource’s Ray Nelson

“The Workplace of the Future panel provided thought leadership on what’s going to happen [to the workplace],” he told Channel Partners. “Two things are going to happen — people go back to the office, which we’re starting to see now, and what if COVID hits again and companies have to bring them home? The other thing is a hybrid type [work] design. That scenario is some people working remotely, some in the office. We got into some great dialogue with suppliers and what they have to offer to help solve both scenarios.”

Go Remote Partner Opportunity

Since launching Go Remote, ScanSource set up a new landing page featuring blogs and videos. It also uses social media for education and promotion, and offers partners “The Definitive Guide to Going Remote“, a digital flipbook.

“It’s been a real driver for a lot of our VARs who have been hesitant to jump into the move from on-prem to cloud,” Tony Sorrentino, president, North America sales, ScanSource, told Channel Partners. “The COVID environment has driven activity and caused our VARs to acknowledge that this is the tipping point in our society where everything is moving to the cloud.”

The Go Remote Virtual Summit is available on demand until June 18. The next in ScanSource’s series of educational events for partners is PowerHours.

“It’s an informative hour of education featuring the type of content our partners want to learn about,” said Hoke.

The first session, an eight-week series, is on financial business health. Sessions run on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. ET, now through July 21. Content includes market dynamics, how to engage and motivate sales reps, and how to augment your business with recurring revenue.