Monday Morning Impact – October 19

Ingram Micro Launches Finance Programs for Channel Partners

Ingram Micro has launched new turnkey financial services programs, geared towards U.S.-based channel partners.

“As more and more businesses seek to realize the promise of technology, the cash flow of a growing channel partner is often strained,” said Kelly Carter, senior director of credit development, Ingram Micro. “We’re constantly asking our partners what more we can do, and in response we’ve designed three new financing programs that will make it easier to market and sell technology to businesses of all sizes.”

The Ingram Micro Lending Club offers channel partners access to an unsecured line of credit with flexible payment terms and term business loans up to $300,000. In addition, the southern California-based distributor has launched a refreshed leasing program.

“Leveraging any or all of these programs will help channel partners shorten the sales cycle by giving their customers the flexibility they need to invest in the right solutions and services to achieve their goals,” said Carter.

Additional financial services available to channel partners from Ingram Micro include terms credit along with programs for lockbox, accounts receivable and purchase order assignment, vendor subsidized flooring and vendor leasing.

Channel Impact
A wide range of distributors and other industry players are developing an array of financial programs intended to bring sales within easier reach; especially when pursuing the SMB market segment. Partners should look at the variety of options available to them, and make their selections based on the terms that best reflect their business models and meet the needs of the customer.

D&H Distributing Launches Mobile-Friendly Partner Web Site

HARRISBURG, PA – September 22, 2015 – D&H Distributing, the Harrisburg, Penn.-based distributor, has launched a new, mobile-optimized version of its dandh.com web site, with navigation and functions optimized for smartphone screens. This format allows resellers and dealers who are in the field to more easily log-in, search, shop and manage their orders. The site also provides optimized versions of features such as D&H’s manufacturer search, including the “green” product refinement option and other search features, easy-to-read stock status checks, and a mobile-optimized ordering screen. In addition, the shopping cart syncs between the user’s phone and PC, so items in the user’s cart are available no matter which device is in use.

“These new mobile optimizations are the latest update in that decade-and-a-half-long commitment,” said Jeff Davis, senior vice president of sales at D&H Distributing. “Our resellers rarely keep their personnel in one place. They spend much of their time at customer sites, performing technical tasks or developing new prospects. During these times, personnel work mostly via their cell phones. The mobile optimization of dandh.com makes it that much more seamless of an experience to access the dandh.com features they depend on to help them be more productive in the field.”

Channel Impact
Davis is correct about the road-warrior aspect of life in the indirect sales channel. Any upgrades that help these individuals more easily access systems from the field will very likely be popular.

Dell to Acquire EMC

Dell and EMC have signed a definitive agreement under which Dell, together with its owners, Michael S. Dell, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell, MSD Partners and Silver Lake will acquire EMC Corporation, while maintaining VMware as a publicly-traded company.

Under the terms of the estimated $67 billion agreement, EMC shareholders will receive $24.05 per share in cash in addition to tracking stock linked to a portion of EMC’s economic interest in the VMware business.

Based on the estimated number of EMC shares outstanding at the close of the transaction, EMC shareholders are expected to receive approximately 0.111 shares of new tracking stock for each EMC share. Assuming, for illustrative purposes, a valuation for each share of tracking stock of $81.78, the intraday volume-weighted average price for VMware on Wednesday, October 7, 2015, EMC shareholders would receive a total combined consideration of $33.15 per EMC share and the total transaction would be valued at approximately $67 billion. The value of the tracking stock may vary from the market price of VMware given the different characteristics and rights of the two stocks.

Following completion of the transaction, Mr. Dell will lead the combined company as chairman and chief executive officer. Mr. Tucci will continue as chairman and chief executive officer of EMC until the transaction closes. Dell’s headquarters will remain in Round Rock, Texas, and the headquarters of the combined enterprise systems business will be located in Hopkinton, Mass.

Channel Impact
As is often the case with corporate acquisitions, details on go-to-market strategies are either not yet developed, or are being held close to the vest. Clearly there is the opportunity for partners on either side of the acquisition to extend their access to products. But how this opportunity will be delivered through channel programs remains to be seen.