When I set out to write our March issue’s special report on industry consolidation, I had no idea we’d have so many real world examples to talk about so soon. Well, that’s not true exactly. Heartland’s recent acquisition of Dinerware and pcAmerica was the industry’s worst kept secret. Still, the rumors were floating around for so long, I began to wonder if it would ever happen. Of course, on Feb. 13 it did happen...  Continue Reading..

The recent cyber-attack on healthcare insurance giant Anthem (up to 80 million names, SSNs, birthdays, email address, etc.) has made me realize that, if you’re a VAR or MSP and you’re not pitching security solutions, you’re missing a huge opportunity. The volume of attacks and media attention is practically doing your marketing for you. The fear of a breach, or resulting lawsuit, is enough to get a conversation started. All...  Continue Reading..

Today I began crunching the data from a Business Solutions reader survey on the topic of consolidation, mergers, and acquisitions in the channel. The special report will appear in our March issue. Let me tell you right now, we received some great feedback in the survey. Without spoiling the entire report, I did want to share a couple trends I’m seeing immediately.  Continue Reading..

If it’s true that great conference speakers cause the attendees to act constructively, then Chip Heath, the featured presenter at the RSPA INSPIRE 2015 Conference in Maui, HI, has proven to be a great speaker. Many of the 100+ channel executives attending this conference said Heath has taught them principles and actions they told me they will implement at their businesses.  Continue Reading..

Most VARs and MSPs recognize that expanding their services offerings is a smart and necessary solution for achieving growth. And, when you can achieve a 99% customer retention rate as Alura Business Solutions has done, it suggests your customers like you and are likely to go with your recommendations. But, with a bigger line card comes the responsibility of managing more vendors, which some IT solution providers aren’t prepared...  Continue Reading..

For literally years now, I’ve been harping on a few key things I believe would make in a difference in a solutions providers business. These recommendations center on getting close to your business — whether it’s measuring your financials, monitoring your business’ key performance indicators, or planning for the future. Today, I have evidence that these things can make a marked difference in revenue.  Continue Reading..

The January 2015 issue of Business Solutions contains the results of our most recent Best Channel Vendors survey. For the seventh year, we had a great response from our VAR, ISV, and MSP readers. Nearly 3,000 people participated by casting votes on the favorite vendors. Aside from deciding the winners of the survey, the data also tells some other stories.  Continue Reading..