Q3 Brokerage/Distribution Recap: Ingram, Telarus, TD Synnex, Intelisys, Avant, More
The arms race is heating up.
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The momentous quarter continued for ScanSource with the hiring of John DeLozier as president of Intelisys.
DeLozier, a former ScanSource VAR and a longtime supplier partner of Intelisys, joyfully accepted the offer.
“I literally almost fell over,” he told Channel Futures. “I couldn’t believe it.”
See our Q&A with DeLozier.
Tech Data is offering security operations center as a service (SOCaaS).
Partners can white-label the offering, which features comprehensive auditing and 24/7 monitoring. The move meets the demand for as-a-service security in the face of proliferating cyberattacks.
Edward Gately has the scoop.
Multiple brokerages and distributors expanded their technology portfolios through new partnerships in the third quarter.
The first is Jenne, which joined Zoom’s referral program. Jenne and its agent partners can sell Zoom Meetings, Zoom Phone, Zoom Webinars, Zoom Rooms, Zoom Chat and Zoom Events.
Read about Jenne’s new partnership.
Synnex made a particularly big splash signing new vendors.
The distributor signed a pair of cloud communications companies. First it teamed up with 8×8 to help VAR, MSP and SI partners sell UCaaS and CCaaS. Then it signed a brokerage (master agent) partnership with Nextiva.
Read about the Nextiva partnership.
Next was OTG Consulting, which struck a deal with Crexendo. The agreement gives OTG partners new UCaaS and CCaaS solutions.
Bridgepointe Technologies added unified communications and digital workspace provider Evolve IP to its portfolio.
In addition, TBI added a whole host of supplier partners to its stable, including Sungard Availability Solutions.
Read about OTG and TBI’s new partners.
The value-added distributor made an interesting mobility play with the signing of Addigy.
Addigy provides a multitenant management solution for Apple devices. Pax8’s senior vice president of sales said Apple products account for 15% of an SMB’s devices.
Learn more about the partnership.
The UCaaS provider named its top partners in July.
PlanetOne took home a big win as 8×8’s top North American Master Agent (solutions brokerage). 8×8 measured the award based on year-over-year growth.
See who else won awards.
If you’ve made it up to this point in the story, you’ll notice the usage of the term “solutions broker.”
The call went out for the companies formerly known as master agents to refer to themselves as technology solutions brokerages. Xposure Diversity and Inclusion Council drafted an open letter to the industry to call for a change. The ultimatum ended up leading to swift action. Jenne, TBI and Telarus have already made officially changes to their nomenclature.
Read the story, which features an interview with Telarus’ Brandon Knight.
PlanetOne unveiled its much heralded business intelligence platform.
The portal shows partners’ entire customer life cycle and features data from the suppliers designed to help agents develop best practices. For example, brokers can view their “hit rate” with one vendor compared to another.
Learn about Sentient.
Utah-based Telarus also hosted an in-person event.
Agents and suppliers flocked to San Diego for the company’s Partner Summit. The group numbered almost 1,000 people.
Telarus at the event announced its new Telarus University learning management system, designed to give partners technology certifications and supplier education.
Read more about the new resource.
Telarus took home LogMeIn‘s award for top solutions brokerage.
Sandler Partners also earned some hardware with the top GoToConnect deal.
On the customer-facing partner side, SHI International dominated, winning “top performer.”
Edward Gately has the scoop.
Avant launched a $1 million club.
The program recognizes partners who are driving more than $1 million in revenue with the solutions brokerage. Many partners had already reached this milestone in previous years. In addition, Avant will be honoring its $5 million club next year.
Read about Avant’s Special Forces Summit.
Sandler Partners named Broadvoice its most valuable supplier.
California-based Sandler issued two awards to Broadvoice in its annual partner awards. It also gave RingCentral two awards, one for top revenue growth. Sandler delivered the awards at its annual summit.
See the full list of award winners.
Executives of solutions brokerages made tough decisions about hosting in-person events as the delta variant raged in the late spring.
Intelisys‘ decision to postponed it Channel Connect event caught the attention of the industry. TBI also postponed its Big Event.
However, their competitors stayed the course. Avant and Sandler both hosted their events, adding virtual options.
Read our story about the events.
The Paris-based distributor is enhancing its North American and emerging vendor practices.
Exclusive Networks is working to tap into its recent acquisition of cybersecurity distributor Ignition Technology. In addition, it named a former HP leader as its vice president of North America.
Read about the new hire and Exclusive’s emerging vendor ambitions.
ScanSource hosted both VARs and Intelisys agents at a recent event.
The company announced its Services+ at its annual conference. Services+ reflects the desire to help both VARs and agents wrap more services into deals.
“They can mix as we as we further go down the path of becoming one ScanSource,” a ScanSource executive said.
Christine Horton delved into the meaning of the rebrand in her article.
DCC Technologies, which you might know as Exertis, expanded its North American presence
The distributor launched a North American business unit, which builds on two previous acquisitions. DCC in 2018 bought Pro AV distributor Stampede and Jam Industries.
Read about how DCC is bringing those assets together under the Exertis North America brand.
Another big disti deal closed in the form of Platinum Equity buying Ingram Micro.
Platinum Equity bought Ingram Micro from HNA Technology Co., which purchased Platinum in 2016. Just like with TD Synnex, the tab totaled $7.2 billion.
Read about the completed deal.
Westcon-Comstor upped its revenue by 4.6%, to $2.6 billion in 2020.
CEO David Grant said the company is focusing on driving simplicity and automation. The distributor is also addressing diversity and sustainability challenges as well as the European semiconductor crisis.
Read what Grant said.
Westcon-Comstor upped its revenue by 4.6%, to $2.6 billion in 2020.
CEO David Grant said the company is focusing on driving simplicity and automation. The distributor is also addressing diversity and sustainability challenges as well as the European semiconductor crisis.
Read what Grant said.
The arms race continues to heat up in both the distribution and solutions brokerage industries.
Our latest roundup spotlights the firms that serve as intermediaries between partners and suppliers. The distis help VARs and MSPs resell IT and telecommunications equipment, and the solutions brokerages, formerly known as master agents, source and enable agent partners to sell technology services.
Big news happened in the third quarter. Two massive distribution acquisitions closed and a popular name in the agent channel joined Intelisys. The entire brokerage channel finally turned the page on a heated debate.
Check out our Q2 recap if you missed it.
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