No Glastonbury? Try the Exclusive Networks festival

Those looking for their annual Glastonbury fix might have had to settle for performances dragged out of the archives for this year’s non-event, but Exclusive Networks has come up with an answer for those in the channel who like a festival.

The distributor is holding a virtual festival from Monday to Friday next week, with DJ sets, some comedy, and sessions on topics including digital transformation and lead generation. Resellers can register here.

Exclusive Networks’ regional director UK&I, Graham Jones, will open the event with a discussion about how to make 2020 a successful year and there will be other thought-provoking sessions through to Friday.

“In today’s ever-changing world, it’s more important than ever to innovate and evolve to stay competitive and relevant,” said Jones. “Exclusive Networks is committed to enabling all of our partners to stay more than one step ahead of the curve.

“I am particularly looking forward to exploring how partners can harness the latest trends and behaviours and successfully up-sell into existing accounts. I really believe we can all use these insights to make the most of the opportunities ahead of us in 2020 and beyond.”

As well as gaining industry insights, Exclusive is including some more light-hearted moments in the programme, and also scheduled for next week are a midweek virtual Bingo Night and DJ set on Wednesday and a Thirsty Club and Big Lockdown Quiz, hosted by stand-up comedian and presenter Rob Beckett.

Among those hosting a session at the event is Adam Williamson, sales director at Exclusive Networks, who will discuss taking a services-first customer approach.

“When I was planning which festivals I’d be attending this year, this wasn’t exactly on my agenda – but I’m glad it is now,” said Williamson.

“It is no longer enough to only disrupt with technology – you have to disrupt its consumption, how customers use it, how they pay for it and how they budget. In my session on Thursday, partners will discover why this is and how Exclusive Networks Advanced Services can help them take control of budgets leading to higher strategic value and longer-term business relationships.”

The industry has responded to the pandemic by turning a number of scheduled events into virtual versions. Exclusive Networks has gone slightly further by coming up with a fresh option for resellers to tune into.

Jones added: “While it’s not the follow-up to the Summit we envisioned, I’m confident that our virtual festival will be just as insightful, just as energising, and leave people walking away – or, in this case, closing their screens – feeling empowered to supercharge their sales in this strange new world.”