automatic data capture
point of sale
preceded by ensuring the right budget structure is in place,” he explained. “Blackroc Distribution is already a well- established and reputable AIDC distributor, and this is also one of our main technology focuses. However, AIDC is only one of our five major categories. So we want to get the Blackroc Distribution team involved with other areas such as POS. However, we don't want them to do that right away if it’s going to strain resources. So the right infrastructure has got to be built. We don't want to add a number of additional product lines without the right management structure and the right budget structure in place in order to manage our planned growth strategy.”
Getting involved Nix explained that there are a number of existing BlueStar partners who have been excited by the acquisition of Blackroc Distribution, and who have expressed an interest in getting involved with the company and its activities within the UK marketplace as soon as possible, once the marketing, staff and budget infrastructure is firmly established. This is something that BlueStar is keen to secure within the shortest available timeline. Tony Jephcott, Blackroc Distribution’s CEO, recently commented that teaming up with BlueStar was a logical step for the company. “BlueStar brings both the scale and core capabilities to enhance and expand Blackroc Distribution’s service offering to UK resellers,” he
said, adding: “BlueStar and Blackroc Distribution both share a high value- add business philosophy and this union makes a very good match. Blackroc Distribution is proud to join the BlueStar family and plans to further strengthen and grow its position in wireless mobility in the UK with broadened service offerings that comes with a wider product base.”
Fusion enhancements One of BlueStar’s own well-established value adds for its VAR partners is the Fusion programme. BlueStar developed Fusion to ‘wrap around’ and enhance VARs’ own marketing and business-development programs. Through the use of the Fusion toolset, a business-development campaign can be designed, launched, and managed efficiently. The toolset can be used in an á la carte or combination fashion. Pre-designed tool sets have been developed to enhance the quality and quantity of touches made to prospects
“ Bill Nix: Putting the right infrastructure in place.
only needed the newly added languages, but we also wanted it to be even easier and faster for the reseller to use,” he said. “Our resellers’ time is very valuable; they are for the most part small independent companies and are out there selling and working with people all the time. They don't really have what you could call a lot of luxury time to plan their marketing. Many of them don't even have marketing staff. We want to help them to have marketing collateral within 3 to 5 minutes. They could even use Fusion on their iPad on the move to achieve this.”
In terms of recently enhanced functionality, Feichtner pointed out that Fusion’s screens are quicker to operate. “For example, resellers can design their own direct-mail collateral to hand out to a customer even faster,” he said. “They just select the images they want to add and these are now dropped into the peace right then and
…as this industry changes very quickly and adapts because of the technology advancements that occur, you have to be nimble enough to be able to adjust to the market trends. With Fusion, resellers can adjust their marketing collateral to fit with current market requirements very quickly.” – Jack Feichtner.
about your various initiatives and campaigns. Fusion is designed for business development of hardware, software and service products, either individually or bundled together. Jack Feichtner, BlueStar's director of Fusion, explained that the company has done anything but stand still in terms of developing its Fusion offering further. “Rather than offer Fusion in just one language, it is now available in five: English, Spanish, French, German and Swedish,” he pointed out.
Feichtner added that, rather than simply add more languages, BlueStar has largely rebuilt the whole programme. “We have done this because, as nice and as simple as it was for the reseller to operate, it not
24 IT RESELLER – NOVEMBER 2011
there.” Feichtner also explained that if resellers want to upload their own images there is an FTP site on the website, which they can use to load their preferred graphics; even if they are quite high resolution. He also pointed out that the reseller has total control of the market collateral at every stage. “They can manipulate it and change it as many times as they want,” he said. “In fact, as this industry changes very quickly and adapts because of the technology advancements that occur, you have to be nimble enough to be able to adjust to the market trends. With Fusion, resellers can adjust their marketing collateral to fit with current market requirements very quickly.”
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INTERVIEW
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