Stegner is also fun! He is fun to be with and to listen to. This morning he put on a ridiculous-looking wig and pretended to bethe fifth Beatle as part of the opening act atthe VARnex conference in Las Vegas.But Stegner also brings a lot of clout to the marketplace. And, I for one am not surprised that VARnex, the solution provider community he started under much criticism in 2008 now boasts 350 members.
The Canadian partners back in 2008 were zero and today VARnex sports 32 members.
Stegner is not shy. He stuck his neck out again by saying over the next 18 months
Synnex will provide a target of $100 million in incremental margins to the VARnex group.
“And, that does not mean one partner will get $99 million and the rest will get just $1 million,” he said, without the wig.
I would like to know more about how Synnex and Stegner plan to measure this in the next 18 months, but I will not be surprised that VARnex members will end up getting this big chunk of margin.
Last year Stegner told me that he was aiming at capturing the SMB channel partner because he realized that
VentureTech Network and
TechSelect had most of the major solution providers. That strategy was too broad in my mind, but this year Stegner became more specific. He wants to improve member profits, performance and protection and he just might have the programs in place right now that $100 million margin goal doesn’t look to be so farfetched.
If you consider programs such as CloudSolv, RenewSolv, PrintSolv, ServiceSolv and the soon to could OneIT managed services offering will provide re-occurring revenue opportunities with existing customers. Many of these programs were not available last year.
RenewSolv for example can provide a 360 degree view of software purchases and be able to identify new deal opportunities 90-days in advance. It also provides solution providers with live quotes and can increase revenues from 10 to 50 per cent with existing customers, according to Stegner.
The much anticipated OneIT initiative is tentatively scheduled for the beginning of 2012.
Stegner added that after he retires from his marketing job he wants to open a print shop just to use the PrintSolv program because of its re-occurring revenue possibilities.
I’m sure he was joking, but with Stegner you never know.
Stegner is not leaving anything to change mind you. He and his team are bolstering sales training for VARnex members, bringing more business model insight to the channel partners, along with more marketing and lead generation programs.
“The biggest feedback I get is that I’m a VAR going up against a larger company and they have a big booklet for marketing and I have one sheet. With Concentrix we now can help you produce that booklet and compete with the big boys. I believe that perception is reality and we want to make sure we have the all the things you need to be successful,” Stegner said.
Now that the $100 million margin goal is out there Stegner has to make it a reality, but with all these new “Solv”-branded programs that goal will be easier to attain.
Two quick hits before I go. Friend of CDN Susie Ibbotson has left Non-Linear Creations and will now be working for Navantis, one of the top Microsoft partners in Canada. CDN wishes Susie the very best.
Another friend of CDN, Frank Haid of Tech Data Canada, celebrated his 20th year at the distributor. Congratulations Frank.
