A record number of Zen’s key Partners registered for the event held at The Belfry in the West Midlands, a fifth of which were prospective partners looking to join Zen. The aim was to help Partners understand how to make the most of Zen’s portfolio of products and services, as well as discussing trends in the market place and time to network with key stakeholders in order to provide feedback into future product developments. There was also a unique opportunity to shape Zen’s roadmaps in 2 collaborative product and systems workshops, alongside a futuristic session on emerging technologies within the Channel.
The day opened with Richard Tang, Zen’s Founder and Managing Director taking Partners through the company strategy and Zen’s continued commitment to the Channel. He shared exclusive insights into future plans for growth, demonstrating Zen’s ability to be a trusted and long term strategic Partner.
Next, Zen’s guest speaker Ian Hunter, Editor Comms Business magazine provided his insights into the 3 mega-trends, as well as an interesting viewpoint on the technology revolution comprising M2M, the ‘Internet of Things’ and some Gartner predictions for 2015.
Stephen Warburton, Managing Director of Zen’s Indirect Channels spoke about how Zen plans to support its Channel Partners in the future and the developments being undertaken to strengthen Partners’ ability to take advantage of market trends.
New to the format was the introduction of partner presentations. Steve Cox, COO of TSG and David Brereton, Director of Myson Pages both spoke with passion about life with Zen, from both commercial and service led perspectives. Interactive voting was also undertaken throughout the sessions, as was live tweeting to ensure the day was a truly interactive experience.
An exciting conclusion to the day was a lively panel session, debating opportunities in the Channel over the next 5 years, chaired by Ian Hunter. An awards ceremony drew the day to a close with presentations by Richard Tang, Stephen Warburton and Deborah Wrigley, Channel Sales Manager to recognise the important contribution that Zen’s Partners make to the business and reward top performers. Winners included:
•Reseller Partner of the Year won by Nexus
•Dealer Partner of the Year won by IT Support Business
•New Partner of the Year won by RHM
•Rising Star won by Phormium IT
•Solution Sale Partner of the Year won by Myson Pages
•Spirit of Partnership award won by TSG
“The day was a real success. It was a great opportunity to meet with our Partners and work with them to develop mutually beneficial relationships and identify opportunities to grow their business, focusing on shaping future plans together in a way that complements their business strategy. It was also a pleasure to reward our Partners for their continued support and contribution to the business. We are already looking forward to future events.” said Deborah Wrigley, Channel Sales Manager.