Some win awards and rest on their laurels, but not Tech Data! Honored last year with a Channel Insider

Bull’s Eye Award, the Technology Solutions Tour keeps raising the bar. The 2010 Tour kicked off in Washington D.C. in April and traveled out west in June to Las Vegas.

Getting better all the time, this year’s Technology Solutions Tour has some new features, including flexibility for resellers to pick and choose Business Building Sessions in different technology tracks. The event also features a Solutions Pavilion providing hands-on exposure to multiple solutions all in one convenient location.

“Choosing our own agenda gave us the options to not only focus on what we knew, but also to learn more about other options for our business,” says CEO of Myriad Solutions, Inc. Javed Matin. “At the Solutions Pavilion, we were able to pick up some ideas in the hardware and middleware areas, as well as ideas for helping us plan for the future.”

In D.C., the Technology Solutions Tour introduced new Business Connection Appointments, which allow resellers to meet one-on-one with vendor partners in an unrushed atmosphere. Unlike walking around from booth to booth where the vendor representative may be busy with another attendee, the Business Connection Appointments give resellers a chance to ask specific questions and get valuable personal attention.

Matin appreciates the open and honest discussion. “It wasn’t someone pushing something down my throat. The discussion allowed us to decide if we wanted to build on that relationship or not.”

One thing that hasn’t changed with The Technology Solutions Tour is that opening day still features a dynamic general session with a well-known keynote speaker and entertainment. The general session is hosted by a Tech Data executive who shares the latest on the state of the market and opportunities, as well as highlights the Tech Data services that are available to resellers.

“The general session encompasses topics that are very valuable to resellers,” says Vice President of Public Sector Operations at Alphanumeric Systems, Inc. Jay Baucom. “It pointed out several areas that will be impacting spending in the next couple of years.”

Matin adds, “The general session was very informative, as well as enjoyable. It was beneficial to us to learn Tech Data’s direction and what they see as the future of this industry.”

During the D.C. general session, Sam Parker, co-founder of Give More Media and author of “212º: The Extra Degree,” shared his inspiring message about how focusing on effort can produce exponential results. John Walsh, host of “America’s Most Wanted” and children’s advocate, discussed the latest efforts to raise awareness about cyber crime during the Las Vegas general session.

John Baker president of JRB Associates, a Washington D.C. solution provider found the experience very valuable, “It left me feeling enthusiastic and refreshed.”

After the general session, attendees are invited to choose from a variety of Business Building Sessions. Each of these sessions gives resellers the chance to learn from industry experts about the topics that are most valuable for their businesses. From the latest technologies to best practices, Business Building Sessions give resellers the tools to build their businesses.

Each session is about 20 minutes long, allowing industry experts the time to share their expertise and take a few questions. “These sessions are pretty snappy,” says INX’s Vice President of Healthcare Verticals David Graham. “It’s easy to stay interested and engaged and then move on to the next conversation.”

“The VMware session on cloud computing helped us see the potential that’s out there in the market,” adds Matin. “The presentation was very worthwhile and gave me even greater insight into possibilities for our company.”

Scott Morton, senior business development manager for TIESdepot.com was pleased with what he learned when he attended the GSA Review session, “Gaining Success with GSA.” “I was aware of GSA from a previous job and found it to be a painful process. This session not only explained the value of the process, but also helped us feel more at ease pursuing this type of business.”

Texas solution provider MicroAge College Station’s Vice President and CFO Rick Atwood attended the “Digital Signage Overhead Technology Boot Camp” in Las Vegas. “Alan Brawn was a phenomenal speaker. Not only was his presentation informative, it was inspiring. I could listen to him all day.”

Each attendee also has the opportunity to take part in Vendor Partner Boardroom Sessions to help them gain insight into a particular vendor’s new programs and profit opportunities.

“Our company has relationships with several of these vendor partners, but a lot of the information they presented was new to me,” shares Baucom. “These sessions gave me a chance to create a one-on-one relationship with these representatives, which is an opportunity I typically don’t have on a dayto- day basis.”

Morton adds, “We just started working with Ergotron the year prior to going to this event, but I got to learn more about their seed unit programs and discuss opportunities with their national sales manager for the school districts we serve.”

In Las Vegas, Tech Data’s TechMed team invited resellers to Healthcare IT (HIT) panel discussions hosted by subject matter experts. “Healthcare IT is growing exponentially,” says Rob Cash, COO of MedCo Data, a Tampa healthcare technology provider. “Sharing our go-tomarket strategy with other resellers pays off for us and them. Plus, learning from their challenges helps us improve our business.”

That kind of engagement is priceless. The Technology Solutions Tour also gives resellers the chance to get to know Tech Data representatives.

“How often do you get to meet with executives like Marty [Bauerlein],” asks Atwood. “It was great to have that kind of exposure and time to discuss how Tech Data and I can work together with a vice president of sales.”

“During the downtime, we could learn what was going on with resellers in other marketplaces and how they’re meeting challenges, such as the current economic conditions, as well as positioning themselves for growth opportunities in their respective areas,” says Baucom.

Morton adds, “It opened up some doors for me and was a great chance to get business leads and build those relationships.”

In addition to learning and networking opportunities, the Technology Solutions Tour offers fantastic entertainment to energize the audience, including comedian Ron Pearson and the musical comedy troupe The Water Coolers, as well as funfilled dinners and a Casino Night.

Ideal for resellers of all sizes, the Technology Solutions Tour provides a variety of opportunities for solution providers to learn new things to help them grow their businesses.

Baker agrees saying, “It helped me take better care of the customers I already have. The only complaint I have about the event, is that there was so much going on that I wanted to attend it all.”

Don’t miss out. The Technology Solutions Tour is making a stop near you. Hop on board.