D&H's SMB Server Initiative Includes Infrastructure-Based Sales Drives And An Upcoming Virtual Event

D&H Distributing, the major North American computer products and consumer electronics distributor, announces it is broadening its focus on SMB server technologies, steering VARs toward what the distributor has found to be a profitable category niche. D&H wants to train its resellers on how to sell SMB server solutions that in turn can lead to incremental infrastructure business. In addition to the uptick D&H has observed in SMB server sales, the company is focusing its spring Virtual Event on this category, presenting a day-long, web-based event entitled "D&H Server, Storage & Security Expo - The Backbone of SMB IT" on February 11.

Although industry analysts' reports on performance in the server market have been somewhat mixed over the course of 2009, the server opportunity among D&H's SMB customer base has demonstrated significant strength. The distributor saw server-based sales increases of 36% overall in the past 12 calendar months compared to the year before, even during 2009's hampered climate. And feedback from its resellers suggests that VARs are still working with a substantial amount of SMB end-users without servers.

Turning Server Sales Into Turn-key Sales
Since the introduction of a server invites the integration of a whole suite of technologies, server-less environments typically present opportunities to build entire infrastructures with new capabilities and efficiencies for those SMB offices.

"D&H isn't just attempting to identify server opportunities, we're looking beyond that, at more comprehensive infrastructure opportunities," said Jeff Davis, senior vice president of sales at D&H. "The call for a server architecture is often a door that opens to greater networking needs."

A server solution in fact may help a small business justify the purchase of additional equipment to take better advantage of their new upgrade. For instance, a newly-deployed server presents an opportunity to integrate scanners, document management systems and more, to transition to electronic archiving or add paperless efficiencies throughout an office. Companies with security needs can add video surveillance, network security and secure storage. Organizations whose workers travel between campuses can implement wireless networking. All these are natural progressions that can translate to incremental business for the VAR.

Cost-effective Virtual Server Education
D&H customers can assimilate some of this server expertise without even leaving their desks, courtesy of the distributor's latest Virtual Event. "The D&H Server, Storage & Security Expo - The Backbone of SMB IT" will take place on dandh.com, February 11, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST. Building on the company's successful Virtual Events of 2009, this latest session will include seminars and materials from Intel, Microsoft's OEM division, SonicWALL, Cisco, and HP's server division. This is in addition to content from D&H, including a welcome from Co-presidents Dan and Michael Schwab, the event's virtual hosts; and a keynote address from D&H Sever Specialist Bill Hersh ("Servers, Storage, and Security: Building Blocks for Your Business").

The event features instructional videos and interactive chat sessions from live representatives from each participating vendor. It provides networking opportunities similar to a live trade show seminar, without the extra cost or travel downtime. Other perks of the event include an online "networking lounge," featuring chat capabilities and educational materials from Lenovo and Symantec, among others. Prizes include three sweepstakes packages worth more than $1,000 each; ten $100 American Express gift cards will also be offered. For information, D&H customers can visit www.dandh.com/server2010.

"We're proud that our resellers have had success with SMB server solutions despite the economic challenges many have experienced this past year," said Davis. "Resellers should be aware of the vast opportunities that exist for them not only in a fundamental sense, but also in terms of complimentary networking capabilities."

About D&H Distributing
As the nation's leading technology distributor, D&H provides a wealth of resources to empower solution providers and consultants, delivering a broad selection of SMB categories, products and applications. The company's offerings span server and infrastructure, SOHO and mobile applications, consumer electronics and gaming. D&H's multi-market expertise, account-dedicated sales teams, sterling service and flexible financing options are unmatched in the industry.

With an impressive 91-year history serving as a trusted advisor to the reseller channel, D&H has been able to consistently reinvent itself based upon changing market conditions. The company prides itself on creating business partnerships with an astute focus on ease-of-doing-business, relationships, value, performance and service.

D&H has been named the Cisco Small Business Distributor of the Year for 2008, won the Microsoft Licensing Operational Excellence Award six years running, and was recently named Microsoft's OEM Distributor of the Year. The company ships out of five separate locations in North America, including its US headquarters in Harrisburg and its Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. Additional US warehouses are located in Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Fresno, CA. For more information visit www.dandh.com.

SOURCE: D&H Distributing