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How is your field presence changing to get closer to VARs?
Abplanalp: Four years ago, we had 10 channel field reps to call on companies like yourself. Throughout the years we've split territories and added additional field reps. Now we have 35. Along with that, we've added inside sales reps to call [VARs] not in major metro areas and to support field reps. It's paramount to continue to scale to add field coverage. We did a study internally 30 days ago, looking at our resellers and how fast they are growing. We looked at the coverage type and how fast [partners] grow. The growth rate from those who had field coverage was incredible. We will continue to add field coverage and give you more support in the trenches with SMB customers.
Murai: Anybody up here on this panel, they will invest where they see growth. Our role is to facilitate engagement to vendor representatives. The other thing we do is augment. We have also been growing our [field] organization.
Apple's dominance in the tablet space doesn't seem to be abating. What are your plans to gain market share in that space?
Abplanalp: We're real excited for Windows 8 [tablets]. It's a no compromise solution. It's not only a consumption device but a creation device too. There are some amazing devices out there. We are making sure to get devices into your hands. Before Windows 8, [users] didn't have choices. We built Win 8 for this [Lenovo Twist tablet]. The battery life is amazing. Plus it has a USB. It's a great device. It's got a lot of options, also security, manageability, which should be a consumer and business concern.
Cahill: It gets back to consumption vs. creation. [iPad] is a consumption device. When you think about our PPS side, we're working closely with Microsoft building devices to consume and create. You have this seamless connectivity through the client to the data center. One company can do that across the board. Apple can't say that. That's my message when I talk to customers.
Murai: You have to change the conversation. If the question from a customer is "I have all these iPads and iPhones, can you help me figure out how to integrate them into business?" you have to backup and ask what are you trying to accomplish? What are you trying to do? Our collective role is to help joint customers find the best solutions for business problem. In a lot of cases, it's something different. Change the conversation. Now with more ammo, you can have an entire Windows 8 ecosystem from an enterprise and business perspective. That's a big winner going forward. It's not just the client, it's about the entire ecosystem and how everything works so well together. That's what enterprise is looking for.
Simon: Talk to clients about video. People think of video conferencing every time you watch a Tom Cruise movie or Jack Bauer. In the near future, we'll all been using it. Or it's Morgan Stanley and big banks. No. Your clients are doing this already. [VARs] want video. But the IT guys you talk to don't know you do video. It's not an esoteric A/V product anymore. These clients can do video. You're not just talking to IT people, and you shouldn't just be selling them another box.
NEXT: What Can VARs Do Better?
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