While the channel has been focusing on driving digital transformation for end-user customers, TD SYNNEX has been putting in place the elements that will enable reseller businesses to transform themselves into businesses that are fit to deliver the future solutions and services that digitally-dependent customer organisations will need. We spoke to the company’s senior strategy-makers about its plans.
Asked directly about his digital transformation strategy, Andy Gass, Senior Vice President UK and Ireland and Digital Europe for TD SYNNEX, replies by telling a story. ‘I attended a conference, and someone asked the CIO of McLaren Automotive what the digital strategy for his business was, and he said: “You’re asking me the wrong question. You should be asking me what’s my business strategy for the digital age?” He’s absolutely right. You need to be clear on your strategy and use technology to accelerate your strategy and expand and accelerate what you are doing.’
End-user organisations are not embracing transformation just for the sake of it. They are doing it to benefit their business and improve their long-term prospects of success. IT resellers – their trusted advisors on technology – must be ready to help them make use of digital technology to achieve their goals.
But to do that successfully in the new digital age, in which hybrid infrastructures, subscription-based services, closer collaboration and much greater business agility will be requisite, resellers also need to change the way they do business and interact with customers.
Your Trusted Advisor
TD SYNNEX, which itself in turn aims to be the trusted advisor to resellers, has been investing and providing the programmes and resources that will enable resellers to develop the capabilities and agility they will need in this new era. Andy Gass, as the ‘Digital Europe’ part of his job title signifies, is responsible for leading this programme for the company data.
The process starts, he explains, with getting TD SYNNEX’s own internal systems and structure in the right place. ‘We are transforming the way we work, and we’ve been investing more in our digital assets to make sure we can deliver on our trusted advisor promise to the customer. To make sure we can help them build value, make more margin, take cost out and increase customer satisfaction.’
Some of the systems and digital assets TD SYNNEX has put in place are highly visible to customers – InTouch, the StreamOne cloud aggregation platforms, the dedicated Software Stores, and the Activate-here electronic software download tools. Others, such as the company’s Compass CRM system and its accompanying integrated computer-telephony are not; all of them will, however, be having a significant impact on the service resellers receive from TD SYNNEX.
‘We can use analytics to get real insights on what is going on in reseller businesses and what we need to do to help our customers achieve the best results.’
Rob Tomlin
Real insights
While these assets enable TD SYNNEX to behave and react differently, what it does with the information it collects while interacting with customers can be even more powerful. ‘Yes, we have all these digital assets, but our digital strategy is really about developing the customer experience, taking it to the next level and using the data behind it to understand where we need to go.
‘If we look at where that takes us, as we start to build richer data, we can start to bring together all the information we have on resellers and the market, then use analytics to get real insights on what is going on in reseller businesses and what we need to do to help our customers achieve the best results.’
Rob Tomlin, Managing Director UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX Advanced Solutions, is excited about what can be done with data, especially with respect to identifying and driving opportunities in emerging technology areas. ‘Digital transformation is really important. If we can harness the customer data, it will be really valuable, and we’ll be able to help resellers sell more. We are super-excited about analytics and IoT in particular. It’s a high priority for us. It’s already driving network and our storage business and it’s relevant.
‘If resellers are talking to a customer and do not have the [credit] capacity or they are not as adept at looking at risk – and there is risk in the end user customer as well of course – then I’m very happy for our team to carry out that assessment for them. It makes sense for us as well, because the more we protect them, the more protected we are.’
