Tech Data Maps Out Path For Channel Partners

The company has laid out solutions road maps for wireless, VoIP, storage, security and digital imaging that detail all the criteria solution providers would need to meet to sell solutions in those emerging categories.

The road maps, which are part of a new business development series from Tech Data, provide information about those technology categories, including market overviews, technical certification requirements and the costs associated with entering each business, said Stacy Nethercoat, vice president of inside sales and services at Tech Data.

"Instead of doing the research on their own, we can show them how to get into the market and which customers to target," said Nethercoat, who also heads up the TechSelect organization. "We pull together a complete path of what a reseller needs to do to break into the market."

The road maps help channel partners decide which technologies to invest in, said Stan Burton, president of Burton Computer Resources, a $2 million solution provider based in Laurel, Miss.

"We have some telephony experience," said Burton. "We're not sure if we're serving a market that's ready to spend money on IP telephony, but the road maps help me understand what advantages there are and how small businesses can take advantage of IP telephony to improve their businesses."

The road maps will be rolled out to solution providers at TechSelect conferences and through scheduled Webinars throughout the year, Nethercoat said. The next TechSelect conference is scheduled for San Antonio in February, she said, adding that Tech Data may look to develop additional technology road maps for Tech-Select members in 2003.

"We're working with our engineers to identify and plot out road maps for next year," Nethercoat said. "These are the people involved with the hottest technologies. In conjunction, we're also surveying our resellers to gather [information about the things they're interested in."

Also in 2003, Tech Data may update current road maps to include the latest solutions, Nethercoat said. "Another option is taking our road maps further into specific vertical markets,say, dividing security into different vertical markets, each with a specific solution to focus on."