CompTIA Introduces New Channel Primer at ChannelCon 2014

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Aug 05, 2014, 09:30 ET

PHOENIX, Aug. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New educational resources that offer insights into the dynamics and operations of the indirect sales channel for information technology (IT) products and services are now available from CompTIA, the IT Industry Association.

The Channel Primer, developed by the CompTIA Vendor Advisory Council, is among the new educational offerings available here this week at ChannelCon 2014, the premier partnering and training event for IT vendors, distributors and channel partners.

The Channel Primer consists of customizable training materials and other content that CompTIA vendor and distributor members can use to train staff members who work outside of the channel on the fundamentals of the indirect IT sales channel.

Worldwide IT spending is projected to reach $3.7 trillion in 2014. Estimates suggest that about 75 percent of IT products flow through or are influenced by the channel.

"This training regimen will provide staff members with a better appreciation of the contributions that the indirect sales channel makes to overall organizational performance," said Kelly Ricker, senior vice president, events and education, CompTIA. "With this knowledge, they will be better prepared to provide support to their channel partners."

The Channel Primer includes a look at the history of the indirect sales channel; different types and characteristics of channel partners; how channel partners add value to technology vendors and distributors; opportunities and challenges presented by partner programs; business planning strategies for working with partners; and how to evaluate and measure partner performance.

"The IT industry has, for over 30 years, been dominated by a very unique indirect channel go-to-market model," said Michael Haines, director, Worldwide SMB Channel Incentive Strategy, Microsoft, and co-chair of the CompTIA Vendor Advisory Council. "Thus, virtually all employees of IT vendors and providers need to have a fundamental understanding of this channel model to effectively perform their jobs.

"Yet, many employees that come from other industries, or right out of college, don't have the required channel knowledge," Haines continued. "This educational resource from CompTIA will now enable IT vendors and providers to ramp up the knowledge of these employees and accelerate their productivity."

"The council identified a critical need to educate 'non-channel facing' departments, which often lack the history and understanding of the dynamic changes occurring in the channel today," said Annette Taber, vice president, channel strategies, CompTIA. "This content offers them a vendor-neutral solution for anyone wanting a primer on the IT channel."

"The Channel Primer is an excellent guide for all organizations to use as a way to gain a consistent and comprehensive understanding of the IT channel," said Frank Vitagliano, senior vice president, North American Channels, Dell, and a sustaining member of the council.

To learn more about the Channel Primer, visit http://www.comptia.org/insight-tools.

CompTIA is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry. For more information, visit CompTIA online and on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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