Europe's IT channels are much more in sync currently across the various countries says Wayne Gratton, distributor Avnet SolutionsPath business development director. And it is the specialist channels that are growing, he says. The vendors themselves are also collaborating better. “As a distributor we set out to help partners with multiple accreditations,” he says. And this is growing, supported by those vendors.
Wider channels are involved: “We've always had a good relationship with service providers, and have a growing cloud business.”
While the UK stays in the lead on market focus, the channel vertical practices are the ones that are winning; it means not just one-off wins, but using expertise to be confident and build strength in verticals. While local differences with other countries remain, Avnet has been getting good attendances at events from France to Turkey, he says. Turkey in particular has been very resonant to the messages, with energetic events and good numbers at events. The SolutionsPath University events will expand and be run in more countries.