Sales and Customer Management

Why we need to change ROI – today

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The pressure to be cutting edge in the channel

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Trustmarque refreshes brand identity

The time is deemed to be right to give its logo and website a lick of paint as channel player Trustmarque looks to continue growing its mid-market business Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Why we need to change ROI – today

Time-value creation, rather than just economic concepts, play a part in how we measure success when it comes to marketing and sales growth, says Helen Curtis, founder of Coterie Community Continue Reading

By

• Helen Curtis, founder of Coterie Community

The pressure to be cutting edge in the channel

The industry is good at encouraging customers to buy the latest and greatest tech, but the channel often has to pick up the pieces when expectations fail to be met Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Marketing becoming harder as customers change behaviour

Findings from Twilio have exposed how buyers are reacting in different ways and old approaches are losing their impact Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel round-up: Who’s gone where?

Highlights from the personnel moves across the industry that have been made in the past week Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

GTDC: Distributors are force-multipliers for innovation

The role of disties in driving technological change was the central theme at the Global Technology Distribution Council’s EMEA Summit Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The balance between profit and purpose

Billy MacInnes looks at the challenges for those that want to make money but also do the right thing by the planet Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

EMEA channel leading the way on sustainability

Canalys survey indicates that the issue is a priority for the global channel, but some have moved faster than others Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Westcon-Comstor continues with sustainability drive

Distributor outlines ambition to use renewable electricity across its global organisation by 2030 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

GTDC: Distribution accelerating innovation

Organisation representing distribution highlights the role its members can play in bringing emerging technologies to the broader channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: Take a balanced approach to security

In this issue, read about how to help customers manage their security portfolios in a world of increasingly complex systems, discover how insights are providing more opportunities for partners, and learn whether being an MSP is enjoyable or not Continue Reading

SAP connecting consultants and partners

Vendor’s talent portal aims to make it easier for the channel to find expert staff and plug skills gaps Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Logicalis CEO: Sustainability efforts being accelerated

The threats to the planet are mounting and efforts to reduce carbon are continuing at channel player Logicalis, with the firm taking a managed services approach to helping customers improve their positions Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Channel widens supplier relationships to extend choice

In the hunt for products at a good price, the procurement ecosystem has widened – but that has caused its own problems Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Listen more, talk less

If a vendor wants to improve their relationship with the channel, it might be simply be a case of listening more, writes Billy MacInnes Continue Reading

Dell: Channel can help plug innovation gap

Vendor’s research reveals a large number of customers are not taking a lead in innovation, which is where the channel can step in to help Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Partnerships key to supporting channel sustainability

Research from Agilitas IT Solutions reveals the importance of choosing the right collaborator if a VAR or MSP is going to hit their ESG targets Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Jigsaw24 inspiring female channel participation

Channel player has indicated that after a couple of events promoting diversity, it’s making it a major theme this year Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Improving channel relationships: Listen more, talk less

If a vendor wants to improve their relationship with the channel, it might be as simple as listening more Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

MicroScope: The benefits of security certifications

In this month’s MicroScope ezine, we look at how industry-recognised certifications can strengthen business defences. We also see how ChatGPT offers the channel a chance to level the playing field. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Five-minute interview: Steve Nurton, WithSecure

We get the chance to find out a bit more about Steve Nurton, WithSecure's head of channel sales Continue Reading

ChatGPT offers the channel a chance to level the playing field

There is a lot of hype around the AI-driven content generating tool – and it could genuinely help the channel – but there are risks involved. Continue Reading

Agilitas strategy already yielding results

Agilitas has been through plenty of changes recently, but the response from customers to its strategy has been positive Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

How genuine is Artificial intelligence?

Using artificial intelligence seems to be a smart business move but Nick Booth just wishes those benefits could be explained a bit more clearly Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

CIOs reaching out to the channel for support

Dealing with pressures to innovate with tight budgets and sort out the overhanging issues after the pandemic means many customers require help Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Daisy backs Girlguiding recycling efforts

Channel player sponsors recycling badge as it looks to encourage greater understanding of the issues around end-of-life technology Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

HP building on sustainability programme

Almost two years after the supplier launched Amplify impact, its UK channel boss has indicated there is more to come Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

HP Amplify Impact: What’s next for the sustainability programme?

Almost two years since its launch, there’s strong progress and an exciting future for the industry’s leading partner sustainability programme Continue Reading

By

• Neil Macdonald, UK & Ireland Channel Director, HP

Five-minute interview: Erik Nicolai, Workspace 365

Another candidate answers the questions and reveals a little bit more about themselves and their role in the channel. This time, we chat to Workspace 365 founder Erik Nicolai Continue Reading

MicroScope: Steering the storage market

In this issue, read all about how the storage world is continuing to evolve as it looks to the cloud, security and ESG compliance requirements. Also discover six steps to making your business more sustainable and read about how IBM’s channel boss is set to make a difference. Continue Reading

ChatGPT offers the channel a chance to level the playing field

There is a lot of hype around the AI content generating tool – and it could genuinely help the channel – but there are some risks involved Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Ricoh exposes gap in workplace transformation experiences

Channel alerted to disconnect between employers’ views of tech success and disappointed staff responses Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

CIOs look to the channel as they increase their strategic role

Logicalis shines a light on the changing demands on IT leaders and the increasing reliance many have on partners Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

TD Synnex shares report on ESG progress

Distributor outlines the steps it’s taken in the past year, as well as the targets it’s committed to in the future Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Five-minute interview: Mike Sheppard, Panasas 

MicroScope gets the chance to find out a bit more about Mike Sheppard, director of channels and alliances at Panasas  Continue Reading

Shift to Partner Plus more than a programme refresh for IBM

Big Blue’s recent update to its channel programme was a couple of years in the making, and is about more than the usual tiers, rebates and enablement Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Looking to make your business more sustainable?

Flex IT’s UK sales manager, Ashley Ross, sets out six simple steps to help make a difference in green ambitions Continue Reading

By

• Ashley Ross, UK sales manager, Flex IT

Partner reality – what you need to know about the Metaverse

Helen Curtis, CEO, Coterie Community, examines what the channel needs to know about emerging virtual worlds Continue Reading

By

• Helen Curtis, CEO, Coterie Community

MicroScope: Opportunities in security

In this month’s issue, we explore the possibilities for the channel to make its mark with security services, and take a closer look at whether the ChatGPT revolution brings more benefits or negatives with it Continue Reading

Why a Microsoft 365 security assessment is good for business

Jason Rothwell, solutions architect at Littlefish, believes the auditing process delivers some positives for customers Continue Reading

By

• Jason Rothwell, solutions architect at Littlefish

Channel marketers looking to work more closely together

Collaboration seen as a key way for marketers to improve their ability to deal with key issues emerging in 2023 Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Do you delight or alienate your customers?

Are you doing the best to please your customers? David Tebbut shares some thoughts on the subject Continue Reading

By

• David Tebbutt

The themes of 2023 for the channel

A fresh year is looming and it’s already clear what most of the major themes will be, including security, sustainability and hybrid working Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Need to be green stretching across the industry

It’s clear that sustainability is going to be one of the key areas the channel and IT vendors will need to focus on next year Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Incentives are a complementary activity

Having investigated the current attitudes to incentives across the channel, Billy MacInnes shares some more thoughts on the issue Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

What makes a good partner incentive programme?

Everyone reacts to incentives, but they need to be thought through – and some programmes are better than others Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Logicalis CEO: Sustainability is non-negotiable

The future of the planet is uncertain, but more efforts are being made across the channel to ensure the IT industry is taking positive steps to improve the situation Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: Dealing with rising prices

With prices rising, many are looking at what costs to cut – yet in the channel, the opposite might prove for better business. In this issue, read about how to navigate the cost issue, learn about the growing area of security, and learn about how to create a more appealing employment experience to attract talent Continue Reading

Westcon-Comstor on its journey to decarbonise

Distributor has invested in its ESG team and is committed to making a positive difference Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope at 40: The collapse of civilisation, time travel, and things that did not happen

Long time MicroScope contributor Nick Booth looks back over the history of the magazine and ponders on which expectations failed to be realised Continue Reading

By

• Nick Booth

TD SYNNEX: Security and services driving growth

Distributor shares research that shines a light on the current state of the European channel Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Cisco supporting partners with digital marketing shift

Vendor shares numbers that underline the positive impact of its Lifecycle Advantage programme Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

SCC Academy launched to boost digital skills across Midlands

Channel player invests in training hub to give thousands the chance to gain digital skills Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

May the fourth be with you: entering the final quarter with cautious optimism

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Westcoast merges with German player Komsa

The alliance between Westcoast and Komsa will create an operation that covers the UK, Ireland, France and Germany Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope at 40: Antonio Neri, HPE

President and CEO of HPE shares his thoughts about the past and future of the channel as MicroScope marks its 40th anniversary Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Softcat continues to push sustainability efforts

Firm’s CFO and designated next CEO provides an update on the channel player’s progress Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Schneider Electric: Sustainability is a team sport

Vendor Schneider Electric vows to do its bit to help partners get up to speed on establishing a green strategy, and to help customers to meet their own ESG objectives Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Canalys: Partners have the power

The channel has got to a size and a position where it is a serious industry in its own right – and that will have an impact on ecosystem relationships Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Goodbye Tech Data, hello TD SYNNEX

With the merger completed, the rebranding of the distributor takes effect across most of the world Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Context: Resellers value relationship with distribution

Latest tranche of findings from channel watcher reveal a solid partnership between the two tiers Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Powering strong partnerships for successful digital transformation

César Cernuda, president at NetApp, shares his thoughts about the need for collaboration to support success Continue Reading

By

• César Cernuda, NetApp

May the fourth be with you as you enter the final quarter with cautious optimism

The last three months of the year represent the busiest time for the channel as targets are aimed for and the year goes down as a success or failure Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

MicroScope at 40: Rola Dagher, Dell Technologies

Dell’s channel chief shares her thoughts about the past and future of the channel as MicroScope marks its anniversary Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Where next for the channel?

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A history of MicroScope

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The channel: Four decades of change

To celebrate MicroScope’s 40th anniversary, we ask channel leaders to reflect on the changes seen over the past four decades – a shift to software, and the emergence of the managed service provider and the cloud are among the highlights Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The evolution of distribution

To mark the 40th anniversary of MicroScope, Frank Vitagliano, CEO at GTDC, shares his thoughts on the journey that the channel has been on for the last four decades and beyond Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

BT Wholesale reveals channel marketing concerns

Comms player shares research that reveals worries across the industry about the ability to market brand and capabilities effectively Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The channel journey

Ian French looks back over the evolution of the channel and shares his thoughts about those changes and some of the developments to come Continue Reading

By

• Ian French, CEO, Siceo

Where next for the channel?

As part of our 40th anniversary, we look ahead to get a sense of where the channel will go in the years and decades to come Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

A history of MicroScope

As MicroScope celebrates its 40th anniversary, we look back and tell the story of the publication itself, with some industry memories of what it has meant to its readers Continue Reading

By

• Anton Allegranza Quicke

Five-minute interview: Roger Whittle, Jigsaw24

In the latest profile interview, we find out a bit more about the CEO of Jigsaw24, Roger Whittle Continue Reading

Developing the subscription model

Customers and channel partners are moving to a world where flexible monthly payments are the norm, but that has meant distribution has had to take steps to support that shift Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Expanding the distribution footprint

The Global Technology Distribution Council has shared some thoughts about the state of the channel, which has caught the eye of Billy MacInnes Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Paul Eccleston lands Exclusive Networks UK&I MD role

Distributor fills vacant leadership position with an experienced figure who has a strong channel background Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: The green agenda

Sustainability is now seen as a necessity for business to have on their agenda, so read about how the channel is turning green to capture customer attention. Also discover how the pandemic has changed sales forever and boosted the importance of relationships, as well as learn about how to handle currency fluctuations, rises and inflation Continue Reading

Gaining ESG skills a rising motivation for M&A activity

The need to have a good story around environmental, social and governance (ESG) is driving more mergers and acquisitions Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Transition continuing at K3 Business Technology

Channel player updates investors on progress made in its fiscal H1 as it looks to build a business serving the retail sector Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Partners will walk away from vendors if experience drops short

Research from CompTIA has revealed that partner experience is a key factor in determining the strength of a relationship between partners and their vendors Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

How can the UK channel handle currency fluctuations, potential price rises and inflation?

There are challenges in the market and the channel is having to deal with some difficult economic issues Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Arrow Smart Terms aims to protect partner liquidity

Changing demands on partners and growing fears of inflation have led the distributor to come up with its own solution Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Pandemic has changed the SaaS sales process

The channel has a small window to pitch in and needs to make sure it is prepared if it is going to be successful Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Is there a need for sustainability-focused channel programmes?

With growing attention around the ambition to get to net-zero carbon emissions, some vendors are introducing incentives and targets into channel programmes Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Westcon-Comstor boss increases support for partners and staff

Distributor’s chief executive plans to ramp up partner support this year and is taking steps to protect staff from the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Xerox bulks out digital services with Go Inspire

The print and document specialist is back in the acquiring mood as it adds more depth to its services Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Five-minute interview: Tim Britt, Dropbox

MicroScope talks to Tim Britt, Dropbox’s director of sales and channel for Central Europe, about what his thoughts on the channel and what gets him up in the morning Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: The slow march to Windows 11

It's taken a while, but the latest Microsoft OS is having an impact – read all about the journey to Windows 11, as well as the uptake of co-innovation and co-creation strategies in the channel, and Broadcom's acquisition of VMware Continue Reading

Channel confidence holds firm

Agilitas survey shines light on positive mood across IT channel as CloudCoCo H1 numbers add to evidence of growth Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

GTDC: Distribution has kept momentum going into 2022

Industry group provides an update on where the channel is in Q1 after a couple of solid years of sales growth Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

MicroScope: A return to face-to-face meetings

With the world emerging from the pandemic, what role does the personal event and face-to-face meetings hold in business? Also read about the next step for the future of collaboration and communication services, and why there needs to be greater diversity across the channel Continue Reading

Coterie launches channel marketing community

Partner marketing agency looks to share best practice and trumpet the role of those running marketing campaigns across the industry Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Schneider Electric steps up partner focus on sustainability

Power player launches an initiative and a fresh range of greener products as it looks to help partners meet customers’ green expectations Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Centreon still determined to grow channel considerably

Vendor has set ambitious targets on the partner front to be realised in the next 12 months Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

The importance of face-to-face

The pandemic denied the channel the chance to see customers and each other and raised the question: how important is that in the digital age? Continue Reading

By

• Billy MacInnes

Sustainability is impacting public sector relationships

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NetApp: View the public sector as a series of sub-verticals

A one-size-fits-all approach is not going to work effectively in the public sector, according to research and experience gained by the vendor Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor

Computacenter races ahead with sustainability goals

Firm updates its progress on carbon targets and indicates it is ahead of schedule as measures it has taken to reduce emissions start to deliver Continue Reading

By

• Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor