More than 300 IT executives and dozens of vendors met to talk about midmarket solutions at the Midsize Enterprise Summit.
ChannelWeb picked 15 common beliefs about Microsoft and gave channel partners the opportunity to explain why they're more fiction than fact.
ChannelWeb visited Tech Data's headquarters for a strategy update and was given a behind-the-scenes tour of how the distributor operates.
2008 CRN Channel Champions: Peripherals
10:00 AM EDT Fri. Apr. 25, 2008
From the April 25, 2008 issue of CRN
Page 1 of 4
When it comes to flat-panel displays of 19- to 30-inches, solution providers say no one is better than Samsung America Inc.
The Irvine, Calif.-based vendor rode a strong showing in technical criteria, and program and support criteria to win the category with a 72.5 overall satisfaction rating. Samsung's was a decisive showing over No. 2 Taiwanese Acer Inc., which earned a 70.3 and No. 3 ViewSonic Corp., Walnut, Calif., which earned a 70.0.
Samsung won four of five technical criteria and three of five program and support categories to capture the overall win. It also finished first in two of the four financial criteria, but was edged out for that overall category by Acer.
Jon Layish, president of Red Barn Computers, a Binghamton, N.Y.-based solution provider, said Samsung is a more expensive line than he typically offers to customers, but he likes the product for customers that don't mind paying the extra penny.
"We've always been happy with Samsung. They're quality and they have a good reputation. We generally regard it as a higher-end item," he said.
Jessica Ottesen, co-founder and director of sales at US Techdisplay LLC, a Columbia, Md.-based solution provider, said Samsung displays meet the high standards of a couple of her photographer clients. "The color matching is very specific. What they're able to provide for the money, it's a phenomenal product. Even when you compare it to more expensive specialty products, [like] photography monitors, they do a great job," Ottesen said.
Chris Franey, vice president of marketing and commercial sales for Samsung, said the company worked hard last year to reach out to resellers and develop more solutions-based products.
"When I came on board, we huddled everybody and went to over 250 solution providers to ask them what's good, what's bad, what do you need. We relaunched our partner program and that resonated well and was relevant to what solution providers were looking for," Franey said.
