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You're listening to Inside the Channel, presented by Get Wireless, a platform built to showcase the voices, stories, and insights shaping the future of the channel.
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Through conversations with partners, vendors, carriers, and industry leaders, we aim to bring you meaningful perspectives on the trends, challenges, and opportunities driving our ecosystem forward.
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And now to your host, the chief marketing officer of Get Wireless, Tara Bastilich.
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Welcome to Inside the Channel.
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I'm really excited to have Ben and Sean with me today.
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We're going to focus on the Get Wireless Get Connected Connectivity Program.
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We're going to make it a roundtable discussion.
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And these guys like to talk.
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So I'm excited to have them with me today.
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Cool to be here.
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As many of you may know, or some of their new listeners, that we have a very strategic operational program with our connectivity program, working with all three tier one operators.
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And I'm excited to have Sean and Ben here to do most of the talking about the program.
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But I'm going to let them introduce themselves.
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So I'm going to make Sean go first because he tried to come on Ben.
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That's right.
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So that's how it's going to go.
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And Sean's been with me the longest.
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So it's going to roll downhill to you.
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Yeah, perfect.
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Sean Cooper.
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So been with the program, as you said, been here for almost seven years now.
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When we, I think it was your really brainchild to kind of say, hey, we want to, as a distributor of cellular hardware, we've got to start working with the carriers.
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We had our first uh MSA with ATT many years ago.
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And over the years, as we've kind of grown this program, right?
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My role today is I work with ATT and T-Mobile.
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And then I'll pass it to my good colleague here, Ben.
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It's always good to follow you, Sean.
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Ben Harding, uh, as Sean said, I work on the Verizon program here in the connectivity program.
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Kind of cut my teeth at Get Wireless on the biz dev side of things, working in also with the carriers, but doing biz business development.
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So this has been a fun journey over the last several years.
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Well, that's a we've got the best team.
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I mean, I think we're No question.
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No question about it.
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Yeah, we do.
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We we say this all the time, right?
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We talk a lot about the things that like kind of the special sauce of our program, what makes us different.
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There's other distribution partners that have those MSAs the same as we do.
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One of the things that makes us special is the team of people that we have, no doubt.
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It's absolutely about the team.
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So we'll take a step back, and we decided as our first connectivity podcast is to talk about the program and kind of where it came from, the inception of the program, and then we'll talk about a little bit about where it's at today and where it's gonna go.
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Yeah.
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Um, I'll tell the story just to start out because it does come from um the get wireless strategy that is really built around bringing value to our partners.
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And as Sean mentioned, a lot of our competitors do have connectivity programs.
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They do have the offering that our partners need as they're buying hardware from us.
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So um over seven years ago, we were able to start an initiative that I've led here at Get Wireless with working with the operators.
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And that comes from my background of having experience working with them.
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And not only did we want to work with them for the connectivity program, that actually came second.
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And the carriers don't love to always hear that.
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But our first priority with working with the operators is out is lead generation.
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They're the number one lead generating source that you'll see in all of our book of business.
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And um, it's not a secret.
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I'm not telling our competitors anything that they don't know.
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If they don't know that, then they're in the wrong business.
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Um, and that's the first priority of it.
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But the second priority of it came from bringing value to our partners.
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And that's really what we're gonna talk about the most today is how do we bring, how does the program bring value to the partners?
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And that's what we built the program on.
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And again, not the narrative the carriers love to hear always is we didn't do it because we find that we're here to make money in this, in this venture.
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We do, and there's a there's an ability, but the main value of it is to bring it to our partners so they can make money.
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Additionally, we wanted to do it so they can, it's another one-stop shop.
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It's the ability for them to buy their hardware activated here.
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We used a little term called activate where you buy.
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First generation of that, right?
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Right.
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Yep.
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And we we all think of it.
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I mean, it really is the premise of the program.
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We're not trying to um move anybody out of the program.
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We're not trying to be, I mean, we're always a little disruptive just because of the way that we go to market.
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And I think in a good way, but we're not doing anything that's harmful.
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We're just helping our customers do business in the way that they want to do business and helping them be um bringing that value.
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So it's really that's the the crux of the program is bringing value to our partners, helping them be able to do all of their book of business with Get Wireless, and they're the ones that have the opportunity to make the most money.
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So that's the that's the main point we'll talk about.
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So I think I'm gonna kick it over to these guys to talk about the program and the value, because anybody that is a partner working with us, making sure they know all of these things, but also partners that may be looking at working with us.
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Well, I I mean, I think you hit it on the head, right?
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It's first the value that we've sought to create, right?
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Is to to be able to tell our partner community, like, hey, we want to be able to first of all give you everything you need.
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And sometimes that includes fostering those relationships with carriers, helping VARs get in front of carriers, as you like to say, work their ground game, right?
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Those kind of lunch and learns, those kind of events, having MDF, making sure we're at a that critical influx of the channel where we get to work with our OEMs and vendors, we get to work with carrier teams, we get to work with VARs.
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And I think we kind of said this a little bit yesterday.
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We were meeting with our channel sales team.
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Like there are so many things in channel to know, right?
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There's hardware expertise, there's solutions, there's, you know, I mean, it's it's impossible to know things all.
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So to kind of bring that uh carrier program, uh product management, so to speak, in-house under the roof at Get Wireless, so we can be those kind of player coaches for our VAR community that are looking to, you know, engage with carriers, build their business opportunities.
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You said lead demand generation, right?
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Working with carrier teams, or realizing, like, hey, this is an enablement piece or a way to make more money, make more margin on the devices that I'm selling, right?
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That was the critical first step.
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As you said, our our first um, you know, entry into that point was activate where you buy, right?
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We want to be able to, if you're sourcing a product from us, we want to be able to give you everything you you need for that opportunity, including working with the carriers and making connectivity marginal.
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I think the key that we want to talk the most about is that value to the partners.
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I mean, this is something we've historically in our sales team is we're all focused on we're really good at selling hardware.
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Like I'm boastful in that way.
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We know our products really well.
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We're not a broadline distributor.
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We believe that we are experts in the products that we sell.
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But we had to train ourselves to not be experts in connectivity, but be partners in connectivity with the carriers and saying, hey, first of all, I am gonna think about the activation and what network this product that I'm selling is gonna go on.
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How can I help that experience?
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And then how do I bring in those teams to be a partner with me and to co-sell, right?
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And in and some of the partners use that term, but it really is what you're doing is you're selling together.
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It's team selling and being okay.
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And I'm like, I don't expect our team to know the network stories.
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They don't like domain expertise, right?
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Yeah.
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You do your thing, we'll do our thing, we can work together.
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When we do work together, it's a better solution for the customer.
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Yeah right.
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And carriers, what's really great right now is what we're seeing across all three carrier programs is really that exact um, you know, realization.
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It's hey, the customer experience is so much better when we do this together, right?
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That domain expertise of partners that focus on verticals, that have deep uh knowledge about solutions, um, they can do implementation, deployment support, services and software, like that's really what they bring to the table.
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And carriers are saying, hey, not only does that take it off our plate, but they do it better than we do.
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And if we just do it together, then we can solution sell.
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And the end customer experience is better.
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And actually, by the way, not just better for them through deployment, but it's a stickier customer.
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They stay with us longer.
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It allows them to be expert in what they're expert at, right?
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The networks, the price plans, the billing, and all that kind of stuff.
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I mean, Sean, you know all the price plans for every carrier, right?
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So 10,000 or something.
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You absolutely can't, right?
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And so you have to co-sell with the carriers.
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And then to your point, the partner owns the hardware piece, the carrier owns the network piece, and together it's a 100% better solution.
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Yeah.
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So, you know, and I mean, we see when we're having a conversation with a VAR, when we're onboarding a VAR for the first time into our program, like there's always that question of like, what is it that you want to get out of of your carrier engagement strategy?
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Do you want to win more deals?
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There's the opportunity to do that, right?
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In this co-sell environment, you're the you're the expert in non-stock hardware.
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There's an op, there's maybe lead demand generation opportunity.
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Do you want to make more margin on the devices that you're selling?
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There's really great commissions, there's spiffs, there's like some incredible things that can really sweeten the deal when you when you close something as one.
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Um so maybe it's a blend of both of those things to some degree.
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Maybe you're using even some of those commissions and spiff dollars in your pricing strategy so that you can win more deals.
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Like whatever it is, right?
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That's the path that we wanted to be able to provide to our VARs.
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We want to say whatever you want to get out of this carrier engagement strategy, that's what we want to help you foster.
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And that's kind of the program we've built, right?
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We've given them the ability to take advantage of whatever benefit they're looking for.
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Yeah.
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And that's what I think the one of the good shifts we've seen as we kind of talk about.
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I wanted to kind of move into like, how do we feel like the program's going?
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And what's, you know, what's been kind of we're seeing is more awareness inside the carriers of the value of the channel, which is it's a soapbox we stand on all the time, but it it really we do feel like at this moment in time, right, is that we are seeing more of that momentum.
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So, how do you feel like in your experience and like as you guys work with the carrier partners, it's going?
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You want to start?
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I mean, I the momentum is ongoing, right?
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I I won't, yeah, I don't think it's a start-stop.
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I don't think people are adding momentum.
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I don't think it's a continuous thing, right?
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We talk a little bit about the uh the flagship event of the channel every year, which is channel partners, right?
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And the hype that comes out of that event every year.
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Um, I see the the the channel is gaining more and more exposure day after day within the within the carrier that I deal with.
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That's that's New Year's Day in our industry, right?
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That's kind of the kickoff of the year in many ways.
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It interestingly for enough, kind of aligns with our uh fiscal year.
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So the lack of sleep feels like New Year's Day, too.
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So it feels like New Year's.
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But like of course, at Channel Partners, every carrier sales leader that is there, that is presenting on stage or meeting with partners, it's gonna talk channel strategy.
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But I think for you and I, all of us, as we usually come out of that event, we sit around on a Teams call on a Friday with the three of us and we we talk about how do we really feel.
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The great thing for us right now, and for any VARs that are listening that are in our program or maybe thinking about how do I get engaged, the momentum toward VAR channel is really strong across three.
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I would say candidly, in the seven years that we've been doing this, the momentum right now across all three carriers is absolutely the best trend line that we've ever seen.
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I don't think it's been any stronger than it is right now.
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Yeah.
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So, I mean, again, there are significant opportunities.
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Carriers are really seeing that value.
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I mean, when we were at Channel Partners, right, we we had an opportunity to do a panel with one of our, well, several of our carrier partners.
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And, you know, Verizon, as an example, said, hey, that's exactly what we see.
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It's better use case, customer experience, stickier customer.
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That wasn't coming from us, that was straight from Verizon.
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So But that doesn't just happen, right?
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I think what's happened in this channel momentum is partners have provided tremendous value all along the way to the carrier partners.
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And so even though you might have new sales reps, you might have people that don't understand the channel, that are learning the channel, that are learning the value of our partners and bringing in a partner to provide some of the benefits that you talked about, Tara.
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The history is now behind us of having good experiences all along the way.
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And so people are saying, I don't want to miss out on the signature wins, right?
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There you go.
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Big wins, big opportunities where it wouldn't have happened, wouldn't it have been successful without the VAR, right?
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So now there's, yeah, that's the great thing is there's an absolute track record of that.
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It's not, it's not executive speak when you're in a room full of value added resellers.
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It's it's the real thing that's bubbling up from the seller community.
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And it used to be that those signature wins were once every so often, but now there seems to be a cadence of signature wins with VAR participation, carrier collaboration, and co-selling.
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And I think, yeah, it's just that that's what's driving that momentum.
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Well, and I think this really is part of what inside the channel is about is the people and the trust that we're building.
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And so it's about the people and the relationships.
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And I think there's a level of trust that's being built within our organization to the carriers, but within the at the what we call the ground game.
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Again, we can go sit with executives at their headquarters, whether that's in Dallas or Basque Ridge or, you know, any of the areas that like we can stand up here and we can fly high and talk about all the things.
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But at the end of the day, the reality is in the road where we see the team starting to work, the actual deal people that are finding the deals, working the ground game, working the streets that are finding the opportunities.
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And there, there's a more of an affirmation for trust between channel partners and carrier reps than there ever has been, I think.
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And that goes both ways because they meet if you're a carrier rep too, going, uh this channel partner needs to bring me into things and I need to bring them in.
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And we're seeing that bi-directional lead sharing.
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And that's what the carriers want to see too.
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Right.
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And and to be honest, right, both sides to some degree would say, bring me your opportunity, right?
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Bring me your deal.
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Of course I want to work with you if you bring me a deal.
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It's the the flip side of that.
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It's how do I bring the other side into the opportunity?
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If it's a var uh-led opportunity, how do I co-sell with a carrier person to create a solution?
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And if it's a carrier-led opportunity, how do I bring in a VAR to make this a great solution for a customer?
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So we do see that both ways.
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And that's again, for us, to be candid, a little bit of a change as carrier programs have evolved over the years and our connectivity program has grown, is there used to maybe be a little bit of hesitancy, certainly on the side of the VAR sometimes, right?
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There would there could be some competitive conflict, or maybe like, you know, you're you're kind of like making sure that the other person has stake in the game and is going to win with you, as opposed to they only win if you don't win, right?
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So that's changed a lot.
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These programs are all collaborative in nature, they're bi-directional in terms of lead and demand and opportunity.
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And the carrier salesperson doesn't really care where the hardware is sourced, right?
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They want a great experience for their customer, and again, they want the domain expertise.
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Um, and then the carrier, I mean, the VAR wants the commission dollar margin, the enablement piece to get devices activated on a network, but everybody wins together, right?
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Carrier salesperson makes commission opportunity.
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Uh, the VAR gets what they need in terms of enablement and margin dollars that are additional to hardware.
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So it's it's a non-compete environment.
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They can absolutely work together to co-sell.
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We are seeing that, right?
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As much as a VAR needs to have a carrier strategy, I don't remember which I think you said carrier strategy earlier.
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You have to have a carrier strategy.
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I think a lot of the sales reps of the carriers are starting to understand they need a VAR strategy as well.
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Yeah.
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And so it does go both ways there.
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100%.
00:16:36.480 --> 00:17:03.039
We were just we were talking earlier about uh one of our carrier partners and one of the executive leaders that was presenting at a VAR event recently and said, Hey, I'm telling my sales organization, number one, go develop a VAR strategy, but also that the momentum around VARs is now so big because we know it's a better experience, we know it's a better use case, we know that we really don't have the ability to even offer that without VAR support.
00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:09.920
It's like, it's not the suggestion of go build a VAR strategy, it's the expectation is to build a VAR strategy, right?
00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:14.000
Go make these relationships from a coaching standpoint, right?
00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:20.240
When we kind of think about our program and maybe what value we bring that's different than some of the other Disties that participate.
00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.720
It's like if I could say one coaching thing, right?
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:30.720
When a a partner comes into this program and is kind of like looking to drive lead and demand generation, again, it's reciprocal, right?
00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:36.559
One of the best things that a partner can present is not necessarily the story of who they are.
00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:41.599
It's not even necessarily the story of equipment and hardware and services and solutions.
00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.359
It's really here's a win.
00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:50.079
This is a win that we got together, this is what the use case was, this is the problem that the customer was looking to solve.
00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:57.519
That's what you're trying to sell and replicate to a carrier sales team, carrier leadership, whatever, right?
00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:01.440
It's like, hey, this is a win, this is what we did, this is how we went together.
00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:09.599
Those are the things that now people go, oh, I've got a customer that could use that exact same solution, and I really haven't had a path to implement it.
00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.000
And now I've got a way and somebody that can help me do it.
00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.319
Yeah, I think replicates the big word there, right?
00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:27.279
If they've done it once, right, and they have that same kind of, we hear this term, ideal customer profile every once in a while, you can replicate it within different verticals, different types of businesses, you name it, under different opportunities.
00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:37.440
Well, and if they can figure out how you solve that problem or that pain point for that customer, because the good thing too is that there's a lot of knowledge and expertise and all of that.
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:45.599
But I can tell you that the reseller community and the VARs that we work with that are strong and that are that are successful, they just they answer the phone.
00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:55.599
I mean, like they do the basic things, they're responsive, they they offer a level of service, they can do reverse and forward logistics, they can do, they can put weird stickers on your boxes.
00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:05.519
We can do all kinds of things that bring that value versus it's it's not just a drop ship and you hope that FedEx doesn't lose it.
00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:07.920
And like that, that's not the experience that you're gonna get.
00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:10.960
But we understand the capabilities of the VARs that we deal with, right?
00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:20.559
And I think that's what you're saying is we under the VARs are great at what they do and we understand those capabilities, but we also understand what's important to those carrier reps as well.
00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.559
I think you mentioned matchmaking.
00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:28.880
I think that's where we're in a unique position to be able to connect those dots for the VARs and for the sellers.
00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.480
Yeah, that's a great point, right?
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:38.720
We've had a lot of conversation just recently about like, hey, if you're a carrier seller and you're looking for some sort of non-stock solution, that's what you need.
00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.599
You're not necessarily shopping for a thing.
00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.200
You're shopping for a relationship.
00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:58.720
You're shopping for a value-added reseller that's going to not only be able to provide that device that you need for that solution, but also all the other ancillary equipment, all the services, solutions, et cetera, all the things that we've touched on that vars bring to the table.
00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:00.400
That's what you're shopping for.
00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:04.480
We can help you make that connection and go and select a value-added reseller.
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.160
And who's going to take care of my customer?
00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:07.519
That's what they care about.
00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.000
Right.
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:23.359
We've got a great community of partners, you know, everybody that's, you know, from starting brand new with a carrier strategy or maybe getting certified on PepLink for the first time to, you know, bars that have been doing this for many, many years that have super deep carrier relationships.
00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:24.000
Yep.
00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:24.640
Yeah.
00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:30.240
And I think that as they're continuing to evolve that, right?
00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:34.400
They're learning a lot along the way with us, but we're also learning from them.
00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:34.880
Right.
00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:36.720
That's what's so cool about it, right?
00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.839
It's such a family, right?
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:42.720
Every year we go to our Elevate Summit and bring in all of our partners and vendors and carriers.
00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.440
And it really does.
00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:49.440
It feels like a community of people that all get to share ideas, replicable wins, all of those sort of things.
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.799
So that's what's really great.
00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:54.160
And again, to that end, like, yeah, that's what we want to help partners do.
00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:04.079
It's like, hey, we want to what we what we really try to focus on is if our VAR has a great carrier strategy engagement, we want to supplement that.
00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.119
How can we help?
00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:10.000
How can we have really a not just two for us or for our VARs, but even for us?
00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:19.839
Like, how can we have a great relationship with the carriers where they feel and think about Get Wireless that we're executing their program and channel better than anybody else?
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.799
So, how do we now go in a line with those big partners?
00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.720
And then for new partners, it's like, how do we help them grow that strategy?
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.160
What is it that they want to get out of it?
00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.759
Is it lead demand gen opportunity?
00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.559
Is it margin?
00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:31.440
Is it both?
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.839
And then what are the opportunities to grow together?
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:44.000
So that is So I want to talk a little bit, I want to segment us into kind of what's changing and what and I really want to focus on what's kind of what have we implemented and why our program is different.
00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:50.400
But I'll I'll I'll take a step back for any of those that are listening that maybe don't understand how the program really works, right?
00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.759
It's very simple, right?
00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:58.960
You sell a device that has an IMEI, we submit that IMEI either at the point of when the opportunity comes up, right?
00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.759
We register kind.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.160
Of like hardware registration, and there's a compensation that can happen.
00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:09.279
Um, or when you sell that device, there's an IMEI that's given back, there's compensation that happens.
00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:11.839
It'd be like some joke, it's like a mail-in rebate program.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.440
I mean, it really kind of is.
00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:14.880
You got to do the paperwork.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.400
We do the work for you.
00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.759
And it's simple.
00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.279
Like, it's not hard.
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:26.720
We've had partners that we've had conversations with where they're like, well, we need to hire an operations team and we need to how I'm like, no.
00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:27.200
Yeah.
00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.400
If you it's not hard, it's very simple.
00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:32.640
It's just and it's just a muscle memory thing.
00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:35.920
That's that's I think is our job to some degree, right?
00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:38.319
It's this is not a connectivity program.
00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:40.000
We're not doing wholesale.
00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:44.799
We you don't have to know how much you don't have to know any activation, how an activation even works.
00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:45.279
Right.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.799
You don't know how to have rate plan account.
00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.240
You don't have to know if somebody's certified to be on FirstNet or not.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:57.519
The whole idea is you don't need to know what the coverage is in your Richmond, Wisconsin.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.079
That's right.
00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.599
I've got an opportunity.
00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.920
This is what the end customer is looking for.
00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:09.119
Maybe they're already a customer of carrier, or maybe they're looking to get a relationship started with the carrier.
00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:15.920
We can help make that match between the VAR and then the carrier salesperson that owns that opportunity.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.079
And then it's a co-sell collaborative thing.
00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:25.519
Again, domain expertise, carrier salesperson is gonna quote, build an account if necessary, all those sorts of things.
00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:30.799
VAR sells hardware, services, solutions, and then everybody wins together.
00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:40.160
Carrier makes var makes margin on hardware, commission, spiff if applicable, carrier gets activation credit, commission for that.
00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.920
Again, it's collaborative.
00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:57.119
And the the amount of expertise that a VAR really needs to have to get started in that is just to say, hey, I feel like I might be leaving some money on the table, or I feel like I may not be able to get as many lead and demand gen opportunities as I'd like.
00:23:57.359 --> 00:24:04.799
That's that's the only jumping off point, is just to say, hey, I sell cellular hardware, like you said, I gotta have a carrier strategy.
00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:08.640
This is the easiest way in the door to sell with carrier that there could possibly be.
00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:09.119
Yeah.
00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:10.960
And and it it's not hard.
00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:18.319
I think that there's been a misconception sometimes where they think it's yeah, it's you've got to learn how to process.
00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:18.480
Right.
00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:30.160
You're gonna be typing in activations and quoting rate plans and rebuilding people and like it look, you know, disconnect, they call them, but like like deterrent, it's not the way that it works.
00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:33.519
It's super collaborative, it's super easy for channel partners.
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:35.279
It's a very easy program.
00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.680
And our team makes a difference.
00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:43.920
One of the things I want to just touch on is there are other ways and other distributors in this program.
00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.599
We do things differently.
00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:50.079
Get wireless is definitely very different than you see in a traditional broadline distributor.
00:24:50.240 --> 00:25:05.519
And I want to just touch on a couple of those as there's partners that are either in the program, yeah, that are listening, partners that are looking at being in the program, or even just carrier reps that are out there going, why would I want to work with partners that are in the Get Wireless ecosystem?
00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:07.599
Because what do we do different?
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:12.400
And I'll I'll touch on a couple and then I'll have you guys kind of fill in the fill in the gaps.
00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:17.839
But the principles of the program are very simple on how you get paid.
00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:24.799
And at the end of the day, we have humans, we have organization, and we pay on time.
00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.279
Yep.
00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.200
Like it is super easy to think about.
00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:32.400
Like there's no portal that you have to submit everything through that you never talk to a human, right?
00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:41.200
We have humans, we chase your activations, just like if you're familiar with deal registrations, we fight for deal registrations, we fight for our activations.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:44.079
We make it simple.
00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:47.039
We keep all of our devices on file.
00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:51.920
So if you say, oh, well, I just shipped 200 of these devices, can you just submit those IMEIs?
00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.640
Yes, we can.
00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:54.640
Like we make it easy for you.
00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.960
And then we pay on time.
00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:08.880
This is paid every single month to our partners on clockwork, no questions asked, which is significant amounts of commission dollars that we output every year, right?
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:18.319
As our as our program has grown over the last seven years, the amount of those commission dollars and that reinjection of funds into the channel is massive, right?
00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:20.079
So to your point, right?
00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:25.279
I mean, again, we were just with our channel team yesterday and we're kind of talking about those exact things.
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:31.359
Again, we want to execute the program better on behalf of the carriers in the channel than any other Disty does.
00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:36.000
But from an operational piece, yeah, we've matured a ton over something.
00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:36.960
That's a good word for it.
00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:39.359
And the scope of things, right?
00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:46.160
The scope is like my first year of doing this alone when we first started.
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:53.039
We probably do that same amount of volume and activations today in our program in a day, right?
00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:59.039
So the program has grown thousands of times over in terms of size and scope.
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:09.759
What we've added over the years is better processes, we've added some things like portals and systems that kind of push down a level access to partners.
00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.480
But we've also built a great team of people.
00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:19.519
We've got great, dedicated people on every carrier account, siloed to some degree, right?
00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:30.000
Because that carrier wants to know, like, hey, if I'm working in the Verizon ecosystem, this person at Get Wireless that's working with this bar is also tied to success of Verizon.
00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:31.599
And that's by design, yeah, right?
00:27:31.759 --> 00:28:01.039
That's by and while we all work together as a team, um, again, there's a little bit of silos, but it really, I mean, it comes down as much as anything to relationships, to people, the way our team cares, how dedicated it is, and how again, even though our volume has grown tremendously in this program, we're also our people are not overwhelmed in terms of like we've kept the headcount growth uh in proportion to our activation.
00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:04.799
But people are like, again, we're on we're on top of things.
00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:10.000
I think yeah, I mean, I I'd love to say it's systems, but I gotta say it's the people.
00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.319
I think it's I think it's a good mix of both, right?
00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:16.319
I'm not overlooking the people, but you talked about participation in the program.
00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.680
It can be scary.
00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:22.240
Are all the are the three different are the three programs nuanced to some degree?
00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:23.039
For sure.
00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:27.039
But we understand that, and better than that, the people on the teams understand that.
00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:32.640
Um, you mentioned availability of the var partners to the sellers and the carrier on the carrier teams.
00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:36.480
Um, it's the same with our team to the var partners as well.
00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:39.440
So we probably are available to a fault sometimes.
00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:42.319
This is one thing we do at Get Wireless, right?
00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:51.200
When you think about us as a disty, we've got down this hallway product directors assigned to different um, you know, hardware solutions in our portfolio, right?
00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:57.599
You walk down the hall and you can find somebody that knows SymTech, top to bottom, top to bottom, inside out, right?
00:28:58.079 --> 00:29:05.200
That's the same way that our connectivity team is, is these people are again siloed, assigned to a carrier.
00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:16.799
Um, we all work together as a team, but you know, one person's job is to know that ATT program in and out and be the program manager of the way ATT goes to market with their channel program.
00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:19.200
Yeah, and that's a that's a significant benefit.
00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:19.839
Yeah, absolutely.
00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:24.559
And I think it goes back to the Gat Wireless culture too, of what, like you said, the same strategy.
00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:29.839
There's strategy and there's culture, but we're also not seeing a turn in in the team here.
00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:51.359
We've got a great team, we've got again back on wood, I don't, you know, but um like we've been able to have those people that have built that and have seen it and have lived through it and know it, and they've stuck with us and they love their jobs and they love working with the partners and they love working with the carriers and us, yes, yeah, and I would say they put up with you guys.
00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:52.799
I would just say this as well.
00:29:52.880 --> 00:30:00.960
I mean, if if you're a partner thinking about participating in this program and you're somebody that goes, I don't want to talk to a person every day, you don't have to.
00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:05.599
We have tools available to be able to participate very simply.
00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:10.480
But if you want to pick up the phone and talk to somebody, you need a question answered immediately.
00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:12.079
You're gonna get that human touch as well.
00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:12.480
Right.
00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:25.519
And I think the key is that no matter what your communication preferences are, like you're gonna get your statements on time, you're gonna get paid on time, you're gonna get those communications on time.
00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:30.960
If there's a program change or something that's gonna impact you, you're gonna know where your lead IDs are.
00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:43.519
You're, I mean, the communication of our team is strong in the organization and the principles of it because it's just something that we feel was one of the top reasons to kind of expand into this.
00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:53.279
And then we've kind of taken it to the next level of being able to make sure that we're adding that support to them, um, passing through every benefit and spinning.
00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:59.839
Being their being their advocate, bringing them with us to events, like being channel.
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:02.480
Yeah, we talk to our team every day.
00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:12.640
You know, again, we're we have sales teams that are out there, you know, peddling a lot of hardware and we're talking to them every day, every, every week and every day and and pushing that out there.
00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:16.319
But we've also elevated the program with the carriers.
00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:21.519
And I'll talk, I just want to touch on the circle of excellence program this year because that's a new thing.
00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:26.480
It's definitely as we've grown, we've looked at it and said, gosh, we've got some tremendous partners.
00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:34.880
And our job is to reward them for their effort and their good behavior, their good results.
00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:37.519
I mean, all of it, because it's not always about results.
00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:41.440
It's also about being having great behavior, building great relationships.
00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:48.400
Some of these partners have done an amazing job and they're not hitting the same numbers as one that maybe doesn't have as great of a career strategy.
00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:51.359
It just so happens that they've got a volume of business somewhere.
00:31:51.599 --> 00:32:11.119
So what we've done is this program, and I want to kind of get your guys' take on the program, is we're gonna actually be rolling out our first set of winners is this circle of excellence program that will um reward partners for working with us and keeping them committed to seeing like we're committed to them.
00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:12.400
So, what what do you guys think?
00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:14.640
And tell me your take on as we roll this program out.
00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:17.039
I mean, it's a tremendous program, right?
00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:18.319
I'm super excited about it.
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:22.960
Uh to my knowledge, we've not done anything like this at this point, which is great, right?
00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:32.480
Uh, because we're trying something different, but I think it gives a little bit more recognition to certain var partners, depending on how they participate, right?
00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:36.400
And to your point, Terry, it's not all about the raw numbers or the metrics, right?
00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:40.000
Yeah, it's how they're participating in the program and and what they're doing.
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:43.519
So I know we're we're uh kind of starting out with it.
00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:47.599
You mentioned we're announcing winners, but I'm excited for what the rest of the year brings with it.
00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:53.200
Um BT said yesterday, right, in the meeting, he said celebrate some successes, yeah, right.
00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:57.039
And so that's something that I think we do well at Get Wireless.
00:32:57.200 --> 00:33:03.440
Um we've also got signature events that we do every year with our partner community, whether it's ice fishing or elevate summit.
00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:12.480
This is another opportunity to kind of add one more event on the calendar to really celebrate the success of our partners.
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:14.960
And some of it's like, hey, some of it's growth, right?
00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:18.640
Some of it's this is what you know quarter over quarter happened.
00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:29.519
But there's other opportunities for us to highlight partners based on engagement, based on, you know, a signature win, based on you know, carrier feedback, right?
00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:33.519
And we want the carriers today also like, hey, this is a partner that's growing.
00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:37.759
This is a partner that's like providing some additional value in our program.
00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:40.640
So I think it's really cool to be able to do this.
00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:47.920
And again, I I think it just shows our commitment level around like how we want to grow and provide value in this program.
00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:52.480
It's not just for us, it's not just a a revenue opportunity.
00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:55.599
It's it's really, and it always has been, right?
00:33:55.759 --> 00:34:01.200
First and foremost, a carrier engagement strategy, a way to get carriers and VARs working together.
00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:05.200
So and it's not just a one-time thing at the end of the year.
00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:10.960
This is a this is the journey throughout the year, ongoing, quarter by quarter, yeah, recognizing the amazing.
00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:13.760
So I mean, people are familiar with things like presidents club.
00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:19.840
Like this is this is the cooler get wireless connectivity program version of a president's club.
00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:30.000
This is, and and I think that the to Sean's point around our events, I mean, those are a mix of like what's important to our vendors, what's important to us, what's important to the partners.
00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:31.760
It's the partners are at the focus.
00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:33.679
This is all about just the partners.
00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:41.440
And what's interesting is when we brought this idea, and I'll call it just like a it was an idea, the carriers really jumped on board because they are.
00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:43.039
They're like, we want to do that.
00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:44.480
And so, you know, our winners.
00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:55.679
So if there's partners in our program, every quarter we are awarding medallions, and then you can be brought into the circle of excellence trip and event where you'll have access to carriers at the end of the year.
00:34:55.840 --> 00:35:01.920
You'll go on a um very nice trip that is focused around you, right?
00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:04.000
You and as a reward, right?
00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:12.880
It is based around incentive-based travel, but it also gives you some access to be a part of that first that, you know, that round table, right?
00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:20.480
You've got a chair with a microphone much bigger than this to say what you would like to say to them because they want your opinion.
00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:23.679
And it's not based only around volume.
00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:24.719
This is about growth.
00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:26.559
These are all of ours is growth.
00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:28.880
And so I always kind of joke, this is about them, right?
00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:31.039
It's like we're we're taking the kids to Disney.
00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:34.719
This is about them being excited about where they get to go, not about me.
00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:35.599
This isn't for me.
00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:38.000
We're bringing our channel team in too, right?
00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:40.559
So that those relationships are hand in hand.
00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:40.800
Yeah.
00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:54.639
And then, you know, every every time we walk in the front door at Get Wireless, there's usually a pretty big uh trophy case of partner of the year or whatever it may be for other, you know, distribution, um, bat of the year, year.
00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:57.119
I don't know, maybe you're variety things.
00:35:57.440 --> 00:36:03.519
So this is an opportunity to kind of pass that along to some of our great bars and put a cool trophy in their trophy cabin.
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:16.239
Yeah, and specific to what they're doing with that carrier strategy, because we've got tremendous hardware partners, we've got they all, you know, there's different ways that you can you can find success with us, and this program is it's it's a new way to do it.
00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:19.599
And what you just touched on, I want to make sure that I say.
00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:34.960
So while our strategy started with Activate, where you buy and really around our product portfolio, over the years, what happened obviously is as partners came into our program, um, hopefully what they learned is again, maybe we do it a little bit differently.
00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:37.199
I would say better, I hope.
00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:39.280
Um, maybe we pay it's better.
00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:40.400
We'll just it's our podcast.
00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:45.840
I'm trying to be very pay a little bit more.
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:54.000
Whatever the case may be, it's like, hey, we would love it if everybody sourced every piece of cellular hardware from us, but they don't.
00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.920
We know that about ourselves.
00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.280
We're not everything to everybody.
00:36:57.360 --> 00:36:59.280
There are areas where you're like, go have a day.
00:36:59.360 --> 00:37:01.039
Like, we are not handset experts.
00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:08.079
I mean, again, the mix of cellular hardware that comes through our program is is mind-blowing.
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:10.719
I mean it's everything from A to Z.
00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:16.000
If it's got an IMEI, it has a sim slot, it goes through our program.
00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:26.800
So I I just wanted to make sure, since you touched on it, that I say to our value-added resellers, like, yeah, we would, it doesn't matter what you're buying, it doesn't matter where you're sourcing your equipment.
00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:29.280
Yeah, you can participate in our connectivity program.
00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:30.159
Anything and everything.
00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.599
Anything and everything.
00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:34.320
So there's every opportunity under the sun.
00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:39.039
We'd love to work with you and we'll lean in and support you just the same.
00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:46.320
Again, if it's a SemTech or PepLink or whatever opportunity it may be and it's coming out of the get wireless warehouse, wonderful.
00:37:46.880 --> 00:38:01.119
If it's something different that we didn't source or provide, we'll work just as hard to make sure you get paid, get that connection with a seller, have a you know, opportunity to kind of sell your win as something replicable.
00:38:01.280 --> 00:38:03.599
Like we invest in that just the same.
00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.159
100%.
00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:04.719
Yeah.
00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:12.400
Well, as we wrap up, I want to just hear what are you guys the most excited about as we round out the rest of the year and the program kind of going forward.
00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:17.280
Well, we're almost midway through fiscal year for us.
00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:24.079
Like I just again, we're it's always kind of that if you think of channel partners is kind of the start of the fiscal year, right?
00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:27.360
Um March channel partners this year, kind of at the midway point.
00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:30.079
Like we've had a really great year in our program.
00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:37.119
I think it's we're s like we've had uh maybe a record-breaking month for us, like March kind of March-April time, frame.
00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:39.039
We've had a really great start to the year.
00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:43.440
We're probably as healthy as we've ever been with the number of bars that are participating.
00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:54.480
And then again, I truly believe like momentum is pointing toward distribution and toward value-added resellers across all three carriers.
00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:57.920
So, like we're in a very, very good spot.
00:38:58.079 --> 00:39:04.719
Um, but to just say what I'm looking forward to, this is the time of year when we start to get our sandals ready, right?
00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:07.679
Like our little button-up shirts for uh Elevate.
00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:13.920
We're getting ready to go to, you know, our our signature event of the year with some of our best partners are carriers.
00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:16.400
Like this time of year, I always start looking forward to that.
00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:20.079
It's you know, it's not too far in the future that we'll be getting ready to go.
00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:35.599
So yeah, I mean, not to overlook the carrier partners, they're their bar partners that we do business with on a daily basis, but I think one of the most exciting parts of my job is being introduced to a new partner, hearing what they do, understanding what their capabilities are.
00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:41.679
It's it's often that we will get on one of those calls and we get off the call and we're like, that is a really cool thing that they're doing.
00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:44.000
Yes, they're doing some amazing things.
00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:52.719
These people sound amazing, and being able to meet new partners, you know, weekly at times is amazing, and that's what I look forward to, right?
00:39:52.880 --> 00:39:58.320
So not only the relationships we have currently with our existing channel partners, but those that we might be exposed to.
00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:00.400
I was gonna say one more thing.
00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.920
If we don't get a mulligan.
00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:16.880
Sorry, I got to because I gotta I gotta say and we've said this many times, and it is the absolute truth in these carrier programs, and leadership changes sometimes, carrier channel strategies maybe can shift.
00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:26.159
It's very positive momentum, but also like the people that are in the channel at the carrier level, that are focused on DSDs, that are focused on VARs.
00:40:26.639 --> 00:40:42.159
We have been so blessed across the board for seven years across the board for the people that we work with every day that are that are doing our job from the other side of the fence, which is trying to foster those value-added reseller and carrier seller relationships.
00:40:42.320 --> 00:40:53.920
Like we're just we're so fortunate to have built the relationships and to have had the people, including the current folks that we're all working with across the board, like just a wonderful team of people.
00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:56.159
Listen, at times the people have changed.
00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:56.400
Right.
00:40:56.559 --> 00:40:59.039
But the quality of the people have not, which is amazing.
00:40:59.360 --> 00:40:59.920
Which is exciting.
00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:09.119
But we're and again, we're we're taking those steps and making those efforts, make sure that we are involved and our we have a voice at the table and everybody's heard our voices.
00:41:09.280 --> 00:41:21.840
And, you know, again, we have hard conversations with them when we there are there's feedback that needs to be given, and we will always go to those carrier partners and and give them the voice of what our customers need, which is so.
00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:23.280
I mean, I think we're all excited.
00:41:23.360 --> 00:41:25.519
There's a lot of potential ahead of us.
00:41:25.679 --> 00:41:29.679
I think as we come into the fall, there's always a good amount of momentum.
00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:32.159
Now we're getting off of um vacation season.
00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:36.639
Like we're getting, we've got a lot as we kind of gear up for the rest of the year.
00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:40.800
And we've got a lot of great momentum that we'll hopefully gonna keep.
00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:49.039
I think as most of the partners will see it if you're working on a calendar year, as you come into the end of the year for us coming into our end of our fiscal year, is it's exciting.
00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:50.559
And it's gonna be exciting.
00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:50.960
Yeah.
00:41:51.119 --> 00:41:53.360
Well, I think we'll we'll see a lot of our partners.
00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:59.440
And hopefully, um, if there's partners or uh that are out there that aren't working with the with us, they'll reach out.
00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:02.719
There's also if there's carriers that are out there listening to this, like reach out.
00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:06.639
We want to connect, we want to just have a quick conversation, we want to have a coffee.
00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:11.039
Like we're here to our job is to foster those relationships.
00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:21.280
So please reach out, please connect with us, and uh, we'll see a lot of people either at channel partners, at Elevate, lots of different opportunities, carrier events, circle of excellence.
00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:22.639
There's a lot of great things coming.
00:42:22.800 --> 00:42:24.400
So thanks guys for joining me.
00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:25.039
I appreciate it.
00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:25.679
Appreciate it.
00:42:25.760 --> 00:42:26.719
The conversation's great.
00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:27.760
Thank you.
00:00:00.479 --> 00:00:10.880
You're listening to Inside the Channel, presented by Get Wireless, a platform built to showcase the voices, stories, and insights shaping the future of the channel.
00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:23.199
Through conversations with partners, vendors, carriers, and industry leaders, we aim to bring you meaningful perspectives on the trends, challenges, and opportunities driving our ecosystem forward.
00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:28.960
And now to your host, the chief marketing officer of Get Wireless, Tara Bastilich.
00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:31.120
Welcome to Inside the Channel.
00:00:31.280 --> 00:00:33.840
I'm really excited to have Ben and Sean with me today.
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We're going to focus on the Get Wireless Get Connected Connectivity Program.
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We're going to make it a roundtable discussion.
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And these guys like to talk.
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So I'm excited to have them with me today.
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Cool to be here.
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As many of you may know, or some of their new listeners, that we have a very strategic operational program with our connectivity program, working with all three tier one operators.
00:00:59.920 --> 00:01:04.079
And I'm excited to have Sean and Ben here to do most of the talking about the program.
00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:06.239
But I'm going to let them introduce themselves.
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:08.879
So I'm going to make Sean go first because he tried to come on Ben.
00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:09.439
That's right.
00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:10.480
So that's how it's going to go.
00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:12.640
And Sean's been with me the longest.
00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:14.879
So it's going to roll downhill to you.
00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:15.519
Yeah, perfect.
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Sean Cooper.
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So been with the program, as you said, been here for almost seven years now.
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When we, I think it was your really brainchild to kind of say, hey, we want to, as a distributor of cellular hardware, we've got to start working with the carriers.
00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:33.840
We had our first uh MSA with ATT many years ago.
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And over the years, as we've kind of grown this program, right?
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My role today is I work with ATT and T-Mobile.
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And then I'll pass it to my good colleague here, Ben.
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It's always good to follow you, Sean.
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Ben Harding, uh, as Sean said, I work on the Verizon program here in the connectivity program.
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Kind of cut my teeth at Get Wireless on the biz dev side of things, working in also with the carriers, but doing biz business development.
00:01:56.239 --> 00:01:58.959
So this has been a fun journey over the last several years.
00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:01.359
Well, that's a we've got the best team.
00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:03.040
I mean, I think we're No question.
00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:04.239
No question about it.
00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:05.120
Yeah, we do.
00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:06.799
We we say this all the time, right?
00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:11.520
We talk a lot about the things that like kind of the special sauce of our program, what makes us different.
00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:15.840
There's other distribution partners that have those MSAs the same as we do.
00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:19.439
One of the things that makes us special is the team of people that we have, no doubt.
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It's absolutely about the team.
00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:33.120
So we'll take a step back, and we decided as our first connectivity podcast is to talk about the program and kind of where it came from, the inception of the program, and then we'll talk about a little bit about where it's at today and where it's gonna go.
00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:33.520
Yeah.
00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:45.360
Um, I'll tell the story just to start out because it does come from um the get wireless strategy that is really built around bringing value to our partners.
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And as Sean mentioned, a lot of our competitors do have connectivity programs.
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They do have the offering that our partners need as they're buying hardware from us.
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So um over seven years ago, we were able to start an initiative that I've led here at Get Wireless with working with the operators.
00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:07.840
And that comes from my background of having experience working with them.
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:13.360
And not only did we want to work with them for the connectivity program, that actually came second.
00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:15.280
And the carriers don't love to always hear that.
00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.919
But our first priority with working with the operators is out is lead generation.
00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:25.199
They're the number one lead generating source that you'll see in all of our book of business.
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And um, it's not a secret.
00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:29.599
I'm not telling our competitors anything that they don't know.
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If they don't know that, then they're in the wrong business.
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Um, and that's the first priority of it.
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But the second priority of it came from bringing value to our partners.
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And that's really what we're gonna talk about the most today is how do we bring, how does the program bring value to the partners?
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And that's what we built the program on.
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And again, not the narrative the carriers love to hear always is we didn't do it because we find that we're here to make money in this, in this venture.
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We do, and there's a there's an ability, but the main value of it is to bring it to our partners so they can make money.
00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:09.360
Additionally, we wanted to do it so they can, it's another one-stop shop.
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It's the ability for them to buy their hardware activated here.
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We used a little term called activate where you buy.
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First generation of that, right?
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:18.079
Right.
00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:18.560
Yep.
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And we we all think of it.
00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.240
I mean, it really is the premise of the program.
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We're not trying to um move anybody out of the program.
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We're not trying to be, I mean, we're always a little disruptive just because of the way that we go to market.
00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:35.759
And I think in a good way, but we're not doing anything that's harmful.
00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:43.120
We're just helping our customers do business in the way that they want to do business and helping them be um bringing that value.
00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:56.079
So it's really that's the the crux of the program is bringing value to our partners, helping them be able to do all of their book of business with Get Wireless, and they're the ones that have the opportunity to make the most money.
00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:58.879
So that's the that's the main point we'll talk about.
00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:10.560
So I think I'm gonna kick it over to these guys to talk about the program and the value, because anybody that is a partner working with us, making sure they know all of these things, but also partners that may be looking at working with us.
00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:13.120
Well, I I mean, I think you hit it on the head, right?
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It's first the value that we've sought to create, right?
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Is to to be able to tell our partner community, like, hey, we want to be able to first of all give you everything you need.
00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:31.839
And sometimes that includes fostering those relationships with carriers, helping VARs get in front of carriers, as you like to say, work their ground game, right?
00:05:31.920 --> 00:05:44.240
Those kind of lunch and learns, those kind of events, having MDF, making sure we're at a that critical influx of the channel where we get to work with our OEMs and vendors, we get to work with carrier teams, we get to work with VARs.
00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:46.639
And I think we kind of said this a little bit yesterday.
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We were meeting with our channel sales team.
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Like there are so many things in channel to know, right?
00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:58.560
There's hardware expertise, there's solutions, there's, you know, I mean, it's it's impossible to know things all.
00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:15.680
So to kind of bring that uh carrier program, uh product management, so to speak, in-house under the roof at Get Wireless, so we can be those kind of player coaches for our VAR community that are looking to, you know, engage with carriers, build their business opportunities.
00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:17.680
You said lead demand generation, right?
00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:26.639
Working with carrier teams, or realizing, like, hey, this is an enablement piece or a way to make more money, make more margin on the devices that I'm selling, right?
00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.800
That was the critical first step.
00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:34.639
As you said, our our first um, you know, entry into that point was activate where you buy, right?
00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:43.680
We want to be able to, if you're sourcing a product from us, we want to be able to give you everything you you need for that opportunity, including working with the carriers and making connectivity marginal.
00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:47.120
I think the key that we want to talk the most about is that value to the partners.
00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:54.560
I mean, this is something we've historically in our sales team is we're all focused on we're really good at selling hardware.
00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:56.560
Like I'm boastful in that way.
00:06:56.720 --> 00:06:58.000
We know our products really well.
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We're not a broadline distributor.
00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:04.000
We believe that we are experts in the products that we sell.
00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:19.360
But we had to train ourselves to not be experts in connectivity, but be partners in connectivity with the carriers and saying, hey, first of all, I am gonna think about the activation and what network this product that I'm selling is gonna go on.
00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:21.199
How can I help that experience?
00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:29.199
And then how do I bring in those teams to be a partner with me and to co-sell, right?
00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:34.480
And in and some of the partners use that term, but it really is what you're doing is you're selling together.
00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:36.160
It's team selling and being okay.
00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:38.959
And I'm like, I don't expect our team to know the network stories.
00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.040
They don't like domain expertise, right?
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Yeah.
00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.319
You do your thing, we'll do our thing, we can work together.
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When we do work together, it's a better solution for the customer.
00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:47.839
Yeah right.
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And carriers, what's really great right now is what we're seeing across all three carrier programs is really that exact um, you know, realization.
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It's hey, the customer experience is so much better when we do this together, right?
00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:17.279
That domain expertise of partners that focus on verticals, that have deep uh knowledge about solutions, um, they can do implementation, deployment support, services and software, like that's really what they bring to the table.
00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:22.319
And carriers are saying, hey, not only does that take it off our plate, but they do it better than we do.
00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:25.519
And if we just do it together, then we can solution sell.
00:08:25.600 --> 00:08:27.519
And the end customer experience is better.
00:08:27.600 --> 00:08:32.639
And actually, by the way, not just better for them through deployment, but it's a stickier customer.
00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:33.600
They stay with us longer.
00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:36.080
It allows them to be expert in what they're expert at, right?
00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:39.039
The networks, the price plans, the billing, and all that kind of stuff.
00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.240
I mean, Sean, you know all the price plans for every carrier, right?
00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:44.159
So 10,000 or something.
00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:46.320
You absolutely can't, right?
00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:49.200
And so you have to co-sell with the carriers.
00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:57.279
And then to your point, the partner owns the hardware piece, the carrier owns the network piece, and together it's a 100% better solution.
00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:57.759
Yeah.
00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:12.559
So, you know, and I mean, we see when we're having a conversation with a VAR, when we're onboarding a VAR for the first time into our program, like there's always that question of like, what is it that you want to get out of of your carrier engagement strategy?
00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:14.000
Do you want to win more deals?
00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:15.759
There's the opportunity to do that, right?
00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:19.919
In this co-sell environment, you're the you're the expert in non-stock hardware.
00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:22.799
There's an op, there's maybe lead demand generation opportunity.
00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:25.600
Do you want to make more margin on the devices that you're selling?
00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:35.120
There's really great commissions, there's spiffs, there's like some incredible things that can really sweeten the deal when you when you close something as one.
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.960
Um so maybe it's a blend of both of those things to some degree.
00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:46.080
Maybe you're using even some of those commissions and spiff dollars in your pricing strategy so that you can win more deals.
00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.080
Like whatever it is, right?
00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:51.120
That's the path that we wanted to be able to provide to our VARs.
00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:55.919
We want to say whatever you want to get out of this carrier engagement strategy, that's what we want to help you foster.
00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:58.080
And that's kind of the program we've built, right?
00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:01.679
We've given them the ability to take advantage of whatever benefit they're looking for.
00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:02.159
Yeah.
00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:07.120
And that's what I think the one of the good shifts we've seen as we kind of talk about.
00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:10.320
I wanted to kind of move into like, how do we feel like the program's going?
00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:29.919
And what's, you know, what's been kind of we're seeing is more awareness inside the carriers of the value of the channel, which is it's a soapbox we stand on all the time, but it it really we do feel like at this moment in time, right, is that we are seeing more of that momentum.
00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:34.320
So, how do you feel like in your experience and like as you guys work with the carrier partners, it's going?
00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:35.519
You want to start?
00:10:35.679 --> 00:10:37.919
I mean, I the momentum is ongoing, right?
00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:40.559
I I won't, yeah, I don't think it's a start-stop.
00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:42.480
I don't think people are adding momentum.
00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.720
I don't think it's a continuous thing, right?
00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:51.039
We talk a little bit about the uh the flagship event of the channel every year, which is channel partners, right?
00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.000
And the hype that comes out of that event every year.
00:10:54.159 --> 00:11:01.039
Um, I see the the the channel is gaining more and more exposure day after day within the within the carrier that I deal with.
00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:03.440
That's that's New Year's Day in our industry, right?
00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:05.759
That's kind of the kickoff of the year in many ways.
00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:09.919
It interestingly for enough, kind of aligns with our uh fiscal year.
00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:13.120
So the lack of sleep feels like New Year's Day, too.
00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.159
So it feels like New Year's.
00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:25.759
But like of course, at Channel Partners, every carrier sales leader that is there, that is presenting on stage or meeting with partners, it's gonna talk channel strategy.
00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:36.799
But I think for you and I, all of us, as we usually come out of that event, we sit around on a Teams call on a Friday with the three of us and we we talk about how do we really feel.
00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:48.720
The great thing for us right now, and for any VARs that are listening that are in our program or maybe thinking about how do I get engaged, the momentum toward VAR channel is really strong across three.
00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:59.200
I would say candidly, in the seven years that we've been doing this, the momentum right now across all three carriers is absolutely the best trend line that we've ever seen.
00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:01.840
I don't think it's been any stronger than it is right now.
00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:02.399
Yeah.
00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:05.759
So, I mean, again, there are significant opportunities.
00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:07.759
Carriers are really seeing that value.
00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:14.639
I mean, when we were at Channel Partners, right, we we had an opportunity to do a panel with one of our, well, several of our carrier partners.
00:12:14.799 --> 00:12:18.960
And, you know, Verizon, as an example, said, hey, that's exactly what we see.
00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:22.960
It's better use case, customer experience, stickier customer.
00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:26.320
That wasn't coming from us, that was straight from Verizon.
00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.320
So But that doesn't just happen, right?
00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:36.960
I think what's happened in this channel momentum is partners have provided tremendous value all along the way to the carrier partners.
00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:48.559
And so even though you might have new sales reps, you might have people that don't understand the channel, that are learning the channel, that are learning the value of our partners and bringing in a partner to provide some of the benefits that you talked about, Tara.
00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:53.919
The history is now behind us of having good experiences all along the way.
00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.759
And so people are saying, I don't want to miss out on the signature wins, right?
00:12:57.919 --> 00:12:58.240
There you go.
00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:04.639
Big wins, big opportunities where it wouldn't have happened, wouldn't it have been successful without the VAR, right?
00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:09.840
So now there's, yeah, that's the great thing is there's an absolute track record of that.
00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:14.720
It's not, it's not executive speak when you're in a room full of value added resellers.
00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:17.840
It's it's the real thing that's bubbling up from the seller community.
00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:29.759
And it used to be that those signature wins were once every so often, but now there seems to be a cadence of signature wins with VAR participation, carrier collaboration, and co-selling.
00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:33.600
And I think, yeah, it's just that that's what's driving that momentum.
00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:40.080
Well, and I think this really is part of what inside the channel is about is the people and the trust that we're building.
00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:42.720
And so it's about the people and the relationships.
00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:51.759
And I think there's a level of trust that's being built within our organization to the carriers, but within the at the what we call the ground game.
00:13:51.840 --> 00:14:04.159
Again, we can go sit with executives at their headquarters, whether that's in Dallas or Basque Ridge or, you know, any of the areas that like we can stand up here and we can fly high and talk about all the things.
00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:18.480
But at the end of the day, the reality is in the road where we see the team starting to work, the actual deal people that are finding the deals, working the ground game, working the streets that are finding the opportunities.
00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:27.039
And there, there's a more of an affirmation for trust between channel partners and carrier reps than there ever has been, I think.
00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:35.919
And that goes both ways because they meet if you're a carrier rep too, going, uh this channel partner needs to bring me into things and I need to bring them in.
00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.679
And we're seeing that bi-directional lead sharing.
00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:41.360
And that's what the carriers want to see too.
00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:41.759
Right.
00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:47.759
And and to be honest, right, both sides to some degree would say, bring me your opportunity, right?
00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:48.639
Bring me your deal.
00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.120
Of course I want to work with you if you bring me a deal.
00:14:51.679 --> 00:14:53.120
It's the the flip side of that.
00:14:53.200 --> 00:14:55.759
It's how do I bring the other side into the opportunity?
00:14:55.919 --> 00:15:02.080
If it's a var uh-led opportunity, how do I co-sell with a carrier person to create a solution?
00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:06.799
And if it's a carrier-led opportunity, how do I bring in a VAR to make this a great solution for a customer?
00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:08.720
So we do see that both ways.
00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:23.360
And that's again, for us, to be candid, a little bit of a change as carrier programs have evolved over the years and our connectivity program has grown, is there used to maybe be a little bit of hesitancy, certainly on the side of the VAR sometimes, right?
00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:37.840
There would there could be some competitive conflict, or maybe like, you know, you're you're kind of like making sure that the other person has stake in the game and is going to win with you, as opposed to they only win if you don't win, right?
00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:39.360
So that's changed a lot.
00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:46.159
These programs are all collaborative in nature, they're bi-directional in terms of lead and demand and opportunity.
00:15:46.559 --> 00:15:50.639
And the carrier salesperson doesn't really care where the hardware is sourced, right?
00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:54.720
They want a great experience for their customer, and again, they want the domain expertise.
00:15:55.039 --> 00:16:04.720
Um, and then the carrier, I mean, the VAR wants the commission dollar margin, the enablement piece to get devices activated on a network, but everybody wins together, right?
00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:07.759
Carrier salesperson makes commission opportunity.
00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:13.679
Uh, the VAR gets what they need in terms of enablement and margin dollars that are additional to hardware.
00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:17.200
So it's it's a non-compete environment.
00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:19.519
They can absolutely work together to co-sell.
00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.799
We are seeing that, right?
00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:26.159
As much as a VAR needs to have a carrier strategy, I don't remember which I think you said carrier strategy earlier.
00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:28.240
You have to have a carrier strategy.
00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:33.840
I think a lot of the sales reps of the carriers are starting to understand they need a VAR strategy as well.
00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:34.080
Yeah.
00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:35.519
And so it does go both ways there.
00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:36.159
100%.
00:16:36.480 --> 00:17:03.039
We were just we were talking earlier about uh one of our carrier partners and one of the executive leaders that was presenting at a VAR event recently and said, Hey, I'm telling my sales organization, number one, go develop a VAR strategy, but also that the momentum around VARs is now so big because we know it's a better experience, we know it's a better use case, we know that we really don't have the ability to even offer that without VAR support.
00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:09.920
It's like, it's not the suggestion of go build a VAR strategy, it's the expectation is to build a VAR strategy, right?
00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:14.000
Go make these relationships from a coaching standpoint, right?
00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:20.240
When we kind of think about our program and maybe what value we bring that's different than some of the other Disties that participate.
00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.720
It's like if I could say one coaching thing, right?
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:30.720
When a a partner comes into this program and is kind of like looking to drive lead and demand generation, again, it's reciprocal, right?
00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:36.559
One of the best things that a partner can present is not necessarily the story of who they are.
00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:41.599
It's not even necessarily the story of equipment and hardware and services and solutions.
00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.359
It's really here's a win.
00:17:44.160 --> 00:17:50.079
This is a win that we got together, this is what the use case was, this is the problem that the customer was looking to solve.
00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:57.519
That's what you're trying to sell and replicate to a carrier sales team, carrier leadership, whatever, right?
00:17:57.599 --> 00:18:01.440
It's like, hey, this is a win, this is what we did, this is how we went together.
00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:09.599
Those are the things that now people go, oh, I've got a customer that could use that exact same solution, and I really haven't had a path to implement it.
00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.000
And now I've got a way and somebody that can help me do it.
00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.319
Yeah, I think replicates the big word there, right?
00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:27.279
If they've done it once, right, and they have that same kind of, we hear this term, ideal customer profile every once in a while, you can replicate it within different verticals, different types of businesses, you name it, under different opportunities.
00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:37.440
Well, and if they can figure out how you solve that problem or that pain point for that customer, because the good thing too is that there's a lot of knowledge and expertise and all of that.
00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:45.599
But I can tell you that the reseller community and the VARs that we work with that are strong and that are that are successful, they just they answer the phone.
00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:55.599
I mean, like they do the basic things, they're responsive, they they offer a level of service, they can do reverse and forward logistics, they can do, they can put weird stickers on your boxes.
00:18:56.079 --> 00:19:05.519
We can do all kinds of things that bring that value versus it's it's not just a drop ship and you hope that FedEx doesn't lose it.
00:19:05.599 --> 00:19:07.920
And like that, that's not the experience that you're gonna get.
00:19:08.160 --> 00:19:10.960
But we understand the capabilities of the VARs that we deal with, right?
00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:20.559
And I think that's what you're saying is we under the VARs are great at what they do and we understand those capabilities, but we also understand what's important to those carrier reps as well.
00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:22.559
I think you mentioned matchmaking.
00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:28.880
I think that's where we're in a unique position to be able to connect those dots for the VARs and for the sellers.
00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:30.480
Yeah, that's a great point, right?
00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:38.720
We've had a lot of conversation just recently about like, hey, if you're a carrier seller and you're looking for some sort of non-stock solution, that's what you need.
00:19:39.359 --> 00:19:41.599
You're not necessarily shopping for a thing.
00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:43.200
You're shopping for a relationship.
00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:58.720
You're shopping for a value-added reseller that's going to not only be able to provide that device that you need for that solution, but also all the other ancillary equipment, all the services, solutions, et cetera, all the things that we've touched on that vars bring to the table.
00:19:59.039 --> 00:20:00.400
That's what you're shopping for.
00:20:00.559 --> 00:20:04.480
We can help you make that connection and go and select a value-added reseller.
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.160
And who's going to take care of my customer?
00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:07.519
That's what they care about.
00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.000
Right.
00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:23.359
We've got a great community of partners, you know, everybody that's, you know, from starting brand new with a carrier strategy or maybe getting certified on PepLink for the first time to, you know, bars that have been doing this for many, many years that have super deep carrier relationships.
00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:24.000
Yep.
00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:24.640
Yeah.
00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:30.240
And I think that as they're continuing to evolve that, right?
00:20:30.400 --> 00:20:34.400
They're learning a lot along the way with us, but we're also learning from them.
00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:34.880
Right.
00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:36.720
That's what's so cool about it, right?
00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:37.839
It's such a family, right?
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:42.720
Every year we go to our Elevate Summit and bring in all of our partners and vendors and carriers.
00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:43.440
And it really does.
00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:49.440
It feels like a community of people that all get to share ideas, replicable wins, all of those sort of things.
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:50.799
So that's what's really great.
00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:54.160
And again, to that end, like, yeah, that's what we want to help partners do.
00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:04.079
It's like, hey, we want to what we what we really try to focus on is if our VAR has a great carrier strategy engagement, we want to supplement that.
00:21:04.160 --> 00:21:05.119
How can we help?
00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:10.000
How can we have really a not just two for us or for our VARs, but even for us?
00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:19.839
Like, how can we have a great relationship with the carriers where they feel and think about Get Wireless that we're executing their program and channel better than anybody else?
00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:22.799
So, how do we now go in a line with those big partners?
00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.720
And then for new partners, it's like, how do we help them grow that strategy?
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.160
What is it that they want to get out of it?
00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.759
Is it lead demand gen opportunity?
00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.559
Is it margin?
00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:31.440
Is it both?
00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.839
And then what are the opportunities to grow together?
00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:44.000
So that is So I want to talk a little bit, I want to segment us into kind of what's changing and what and I really want to focus on what's kind of what have we implemented and why our program is different.
00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:50.400
But I'll I'll I'll take a step back for any of those that are listening that maybe don't understand how the program really works, right?
00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.759
It's very simple, right?
00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:58.960
You sell a device that has an IMEI, we submit that IMEI either at the point of when the opportunity comes up, right?
00:21:59.039 --> 00:21:59.759
We register kind.
00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.160
Of like hardware registration, and there's a compensation that can happen.
00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:09.279
Um, or when you sell that device, there's an IMEI that's given back, there's compensation that happens.
00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:11.839
It'd be like some joke, it's like a mail-in rebate program.
00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.440
I mean, it really kind of is.
00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:14.880
You got to do the paperwork.
00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.400
We do the work for you.
00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.759
And it's simple.
00:22:17.920 --> 00:22:19.279
Like, it's not hard.
00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:26.720
We've had partners that we've had conversations with where they're like, well, we need to hire an operations team and we need to how I'm like, no.
00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:27.200
Yeah.
00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:30.400
If you it's not hard, it's very simple.
00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:32.640
It's just and it's just a muscle memory thing.
00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:35.920
That's that's I think is our job to some degree, right?
00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:38.319
It's this is not a connectivity program.
00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:40.000
We're not doing wholesale.
00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:44.799
We you don't have to know how much you don't have to know any activation, how an activation even works.
00:22:45.200 --> 00:22:45.279
Right.
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.799
You don't know how to have rate plan account.
00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:52.240
You don't have to know if somebody's certified to be on FirstNet or not.
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:57.519
The whole idea is you don't need to know what the coverage is in your Richmond, Wisconsin.
00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.079
That's right.
00:22:58.160 --> 00:22:59.599
I've got an opportunity.
00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.920
This is what the end customer is looking for.
00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:09.119
Maybe they're already a customer of carrier, or maybe they're looking to get a relationship started with the carrier.
00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:15.920
We can help make that match between the VAR and then the carrier salesperson that owns that opportunity.
00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.079
And then it's a co-sell collaborative thing.
00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:25.519
Again, domain expertise, carrier salesperson is gonna quote, build an account if necessary, all those sorts of things.
00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:30.799
VAR sells hardware, services, solutions, and then everybody wins together.
00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:40.160
Carrier makes var makes margin on hardware, commission, spiff if applicable, carrier gets activation credit, commission for that.
00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.920
Again, it's collaborative.
00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:57.119
And the the amount of expertise that a VAR really needs to have to get started in that is just to say, hey, I feel like I might be leaving some money on the table, or I feel like I may not be able to get as many lead and demand gen opportunities as I'd like.
00:23:57.359 --> 00:24:04.799
That's that's the only jumping off point, is just to say, hey, I sell cellular hardware, like you said, I gotta have a carrier strategy.
00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:08.640
This is the easiest way in the door to sell with carrier that there could possibly be.
00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:09.119
Yeah.
00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:10.960
And and it it's not hard.
00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:18.319
I think that there's been a misconception sometimes where they think it's yeah, it's you've got to learn how to process.
00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:18.480
Right.
00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:30.160
You're gonna be typing in activations and quoting rate plans and rebuilding people and like it look, you know, disconnect, they call them, but like like deterrent, it's not the way that it works.
00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:33.519
It's super collaborative, it's super easy for channel partners.
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:35.279
It's a very easy program.
00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.680
And our team makes a difference.
00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:43.920
One of the things I want to just touch on is there are other ways and other distributors in this program.
00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.599
We do things differently.
00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:50.079
Get wireless is definitely very different than you see in a traditional broadline distributor.
00:24:50.240 --> 00:25:05.519
And I want to just touch on a couple of those as there's partners that are either in the program, yeah, that are listening, partners that are looking at being in the program, or even just carrier reps that are out there going, why would I want to work with partners that are in the Get Wireless ecosystem?
00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:07.599
Because what do we do different?
00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:12.400
And I'll I'll touch on a couple and then I'll have you guys kind of fill in the fill in the gaps.
00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:17.839
But the principles of the program are very simple on how you get paid.
00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:24.799
And at the end of the day, we have humans, we have organization, and we pay on time.
00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:25.279
Yep.
00:25:25.440 --> 00:25:27.200
Like it is super easy to think about.
00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:32.400
Like there's no portal that you have to submit everything through that you never talk to a human, right?
00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:41.200
We have humans, we chase your activations, just like if you're familiar with deal registrations, we fight for deal registrations, we fight for our activations.
00:25:41.680 --> 00:25:44.079
We make it simple.
00:25:44.400 --> 00:25:47.039
We keep all of our devices on file.
00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:51.920
So if you say, oh, well, I just shipped 200 of these devices, can you just submit those IMEIs?
00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:52.640
Yes, we can.
00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:54.640
Like we make it easy for you.
00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:56.960
And then we pay on time.
00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:08.880
This is paid every single month to our partners on clockwork, no questions asked, which is significant amounts of commission dollars that we output every year, right?
00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:18.319
As our as our program has grown over the last seven years, the amount of those commission dollars and that reinjection of funds into the channel is massive, right?
00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:20.079
So to your point, right?
00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:25.279
I mean, again, we were just with our channel team yesterday and we're kind of talking about those exact things.
00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:31.359
Again, we want to execute the program better on behalf of the carriers in the channel than any other Disty does.
00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:36.000
But from an operational piece, yeah, we've matured a ton over something.
00:26:36.160 --> 00:26:36.960
That's a good word for it.
00:26:37.279 --> 00:26:39.359
And the scope of things, right?
00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:46.160
The scope is like my first year of doing this alone when we first started.
00:26:46.559 --> 00:26:53.039
We probably do that same amount of volume and activations today in our program in a day, right?
00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:59.039
So the program has grown thousands of times over in terms of size and scope.
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:09.759
What we've added over the years is better processes, we've added some things like portals and systems that kind of push down a level access to partners.
00:27:10.079 --> 00:27:12.480
But we've also built a great team of people.
00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:19.519
We've got great, dedicated people on every carrier account, siloed to some degree, right?
00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:30.000
Because that carrier wants to know, like, hey, if I'm working in the Verizon ecosystem, this person at Get Wireless that's working with this bar is also tied to success of Verizon.
00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:31.599
And that's by design, yeah, right?
00:27:31.759 --> 00:28:01.039
That's by and while we all work together as a team, um, again, there's a little bit of silos, but it really, I mean, it comes down as much as anything to relationships, to people, the way our team cares, how dedicated it is, and how again, even though our volume has grown tremendously in this program, we're also our people are not overwhelmed in terms of like we've kept the headcount growth uh in proportion to our activation.
00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:04.799
But people are like, again, we're on we're on top of things.
00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:10.000
I think yeah, I mean, I I'd love to say it's systems, but I gotta say it's the people.
00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:12.319
I think it's I think it's a good mix of both, right?
00:28:12.640 --> 00:28:16.319
I'm not overlooking the people, but you talked about participation in the program.
00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.680
It can be scary.
00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:22.240
Are all the are the three different are the three programs nuanced to some degree?
00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:23.039
For sure.
00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:27.039
But we understand that, and better than that, the people on the teams understand that.
00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:32.640
Um, you mentioned availability of the var partners to the sellers and the carrier on the carrier teams.
00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:36.480
Um, it's the same with our team to the var partners as well.
00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:39.440
So we probably are available to a fault sometimes.
00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:42.319
This is one thing we do at Get Wireless, right?
00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:51.200
When you think about us as a disty, we've got down this hallway product directors assigned to different um, you know, hardware solutions in our portfolio, right?
00:28:51.440 --> 00:28:57.599
You walk down the hall and you can find somebody that knows SymTech, top to bottom, top to bottom, inside out, right?
00:28:58.079 --> 00:29:05.200
That's the same way that our connectivity team is, is these people are again siloed, assigned to a carrier.
00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:16.799
Um, we all work together as a team, but you know, one person's job is to know that ATT program in and out and be the program manager of the way ATT goes to market with their channel program.
00:29:17.119 --> 00:29:19.200
Yeah, and that's a that's a significant benefit.
00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:19.839
Yeah, absolutely.
00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:24.559
And I think it goes back to the Gat Wireless culture too, of what, like you said, the same strategy.
00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:29.839
There's strategy and there's culture, but we're also not seeing a turn in in the team here.
00:29:30.079 --> 00:29:51.359
We've got a great team, we've got again back on wood, I don't, you know, but um like we've been able to have those people that have built that and have seen it and have lived through it and know it, and they've stuck with us and they love their jobs and they love working with the partners and they love working with the carriers and us, yes, yeah, and I would say they put up with you guys.
00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:52.799
I would just say this as well.
00:29:52.880 --> 00:30:00.960
I mean, if if you're a partner thinking about participating in this program and you're somebody that goes, I don't want to talk to a person every day, you don't have to.
00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:05.599
We have tools available to be able to participate very simply.
00:30:05.680 --> 00:30:10.480
But if you want to pick up the phone and talk to somebody, you need a question answered immediately.
00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:12.079
You're gonna get that human touch as well.
00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:12.480
Right.
00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:25.519
And I think the key is that no matter what your communication preferences are, like you're gonna get your statements on time, you're gonna get paid on time, you're gonna get those communications on time.
00:30:25.599 --> 00:30:30.960
If there's a program change or something that's gonna impact you, you're gonna know where your lead IDs are.
00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:43.519
You're, I mean, the communication of our team is strong in the organization and the principles of it because it's just something that we feel was one of the top reasons to kind of expand into this.
00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:53.279
And then we've kind of taken it to the next level of being able to make sure that we're adding that support to them, um, passing through every benefit and spinning.
00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:59.839
Being their being their advocate, bringing them with us to events, like being channel.
00:31:00.160 --> 00:31:02.480
Yeah, we talk to our team every day.
00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:12.640
You know, again, we're we have sales teams that are out there, you know, peddling a lot of hardware and we're talking to them every day, every, every week and every day and and pushing that out there.
00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:16.319
But we've also elevated the program with the carriers.
00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:21.519
And I'll talk, I just want to touch on the circle of excellence program this year because that's a new thing.
00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:26.480
It's definitely as we've grown, we've looked at it and said, gosh, we've got some tremendous partners.
00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:34.880
And our job is to reward them for their effort and their good behavior, their good results.
00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:37.519
I mean, all of it, because it's not always about results.
00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:41.440
It's also about being having great behavior, building great relationships.
00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:48.400
Some of these partners have done an amazing job and they're not hitting the same numbers as one that maybe doesn't have as great of a career strategy.
00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:51.359
It just so happens that they've got a volume of business somewhere.
00:31:51.599 --> 00:32:11.119
So what we've done is this program, and I want to kind of get your guys' take on the program, is we're gonna actually be rolling out our first set of winners is this circle of excellence program that will um reward partners for working with us and keeping them committed to seeing like we're committed to them.
00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:12.400
So, what what do you guys think?
00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:14.640
And tell me your take on as we roll this program out.
00:32:15.599 --> 00:32:17.039
I mean, it's a tremendous program, right?
00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:18.319
I'm super excited about it.
00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:22.960
Uh to my knowledge, we've not done anything like this at this point, which is great, right?
00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:32.480
Uh, because we're trying something different, but I think it gives a little bit more recognition to certain var partners, depending on how they participate, right?
00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:36.400
And to your point, Terry, it's not all about the raw numbers or the metrics, right?
00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:40.000
Yeah, it's how they're participating in the program and and what they're doing.
00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:43.519
So I know we're we're uh kind of starting out with it.
00:32:43.680 --> 00:32:47.599
You mentioned we're announcing winners, but I'm excited for what the rest of the year brings with it.
00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:53.200
Um BT said yesterday, right, in the meeting, he said celebrate some successes, yeah, right.
00:32:53.359 --> 00:32:57.039
And so that's something that I think we do well at Get Wireless.
00:32:57.200 --> 00:33:03.440
Um we've also got signature events that we do every year with our partner community, whether it's ice fishing or elevate summit.
00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:12.480
This is another opportunity to kind of add one more event on the calendar to really celebrate the success of our partners.
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:14.960
And some of it's like, hey, some of it's growth, right?
00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:18.640
Some of it's this is what you know quarter over quarter happened.
00:33:18.799 --> 00:33:29.519
But there's other opportunities for us to highlight partners based on engagement, based on, you know, a signature win, based on you know, carrier feedback, right?
00:33:29.599 --> 00:33:33.519
And we want the carriers today also like, hey, this is a partner that's growing.
00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:37.759
This is a partner that's like providing some additional value in our program.
00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:40.640
So I think it's really cool to be able to do this.
00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:47.920
And again, I I think it just shows our commitment level around like how we want to grow and provide value in this program.
00:33:48.160 --> 00:33:52.480
It's not just for us, it's not just a a revenue opportunity.
00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:55.599
It's it's really, and it always has been, right?
00:33:55.759 --> 00:34:01.200
First and foremost, a carrier engagement strategy, a way to get carriers and VARs working together.
00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:05.200
So and it's not just a one-time thing at the end of the year.
00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:10.960
This is a this is the journey throughout the year, ongoing, quarter by quarter, yeah, recognizing the amazing.
00:34:11.199 --> 00:34:13.760
So I mean, people are familiar with things like presidents club.
00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:19.840
Like this is this is the cooler get wireless connectivity program version of a president's club.
00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:30.000
This is, and and I think that the to Sean's point around our events, I mean, those are a mix of like what's important to our vendors, what's important to us, what's important to the partners.
00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:31.760
It's the partners are at the focus.
00:34:31.920 --> 00:34:33.679
This is all about just the partners.
00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:41.440
And what's interesting is when we brought this idea, and I'll call it just like a it was an idea, the carriers really jumped on board because they are.
00:34:41.599 --> 00:34:43.039
They're like, we want to do that.
00:34:43.119 --> 00:34:44.480
And so, you know, our winners.
00:34:44.559 --> 00:34:55.679
So if there's partners in our program, every quarter we are awarding medallions, and then you can be brought into the circle of excellence trip and event where you'll have access to carriers at the end of the year.
00:34:55.840 --> 00:35:01.920
You'll go on a um very nice trip that is focused around you, right?
00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:04.000
You and as a reward, right?
00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:12.880
It is based around incentive-based travel, but it also gives you some access to be a part of that first that, you know, that round table, right?
00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:20.480
You've got a chair with a microphone much bigger than this to say what you would like to say to them because they want your opinion.
00:35:20.639 --> 00:35:23.679
And it's not based only around volume.
00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:24.719
This is about growth.
00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:26.559
These are all of ours is growth.
00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:28.880
And so I always kind of joke, this is about them, right?
00:35:28.960 --> 00:35:31.039
It's like we're we're taking the kids to Disney.
00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:34.719
This is about them being excited about where they get to go, not about me.
00:35:34.880 --> 00:35:35.599
This isn't for me.
00:35:35.920 --> 00:35:38.000
We're bringing our channel team in too, right?
00:35:38.079 --> 00:35:40.559
So that those relationships are hand in hand.
00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:40.800
Yeah.
00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:54.639
And then, you know, every every time we walk in the front door at Get Wireless, there's usually a pretty big uh trophy case of partner of the year or whatever it may be for other, you know, distribution, um, bat of the year, year.
00:35:54.800 --> 00:35:57.119
I don't know, maybe you're variety things.
00:35:57.440 --> 00:36:03.519
So this is an opportunity to kind of pass that along to some of our great bars and put a cool trophy in their trophy cabin.
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:16.239
Yeah, and specific to what they're doing with that carrier strategy, because we've got tremendous hardware partners, we've got they all, you know, there's different ways that you can you can find success with us, and this program is it's it's a new way to do it.
00:36:16.559 --> 00:36:19.599
And what you just touched on, I want to make sure that I say.
00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:34.960
So while our strategy started with Activate, where you buy and really around our product portfolio, over the years, what happened obviously is as partners came into our program, um, hopefully what they learned is again, maybe we do it a little bit differently.
00:36:35.119 --> 00:36:37.199
I would say better, I hope.
00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:39.280
Um, maybe we pay it's better.
00:36:39.360 --> 00:36:40.400
We'll just it's our podcast.
00:36:40.719 --> 00:36:45.840
I'm trying to be very pay a little bit more.
00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:54.000
Whatever the case may be, it's like, hey, we would love it if everybody sourced every piece of cellular hardware from us, but they don't.
00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.920
We know that about ourselves.
00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:57.280
We're not everything to everybody.
00:36:57.360 --> 00:36:59.280
There are areas where you're like, go have a day.
00:36:59.360 --> 00:37:01.039
Like, we are not handset experts.
00:37:02.559 --> 00:37:08.079
I mean, again, the mix of cellular hardware that comes through our program is is mind-blowing.
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:10.719
I mean it's everything from A to Z.
00:37:10.880 --> 00:37:16.000
If it's got an IMEI, it has a sim slot, it goes through our program.
00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:26.800
So I I just wanted to make sure, since you touched on it, that I say to our value-added resellers, like, yeah, we would, it doesn't matter what you're buying, it doesn't matter where you're sourcing your equipment.
00:37:26.880 --> 00:37:29.280
Yeah, you can participate in our connectivity program.
00:37:29.679 --> 00:37:30.159
Anything and everything.
00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:31.599
Anything and everything.
00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:34.320
So there's every opportunity under the sun.
00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:39.039
We'd love to work with you and we'll lean in and support you just the same.
00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:46.320
Again, if it's a SemTech or PepLink or whatever opportunity it may be and it's coming out of the get wireless warehouse, wonderful.
00:37:46.880 --> 00:38:01.119
If it's something different that we didn't source or provide, we'll work just as hard to make sure you get paid, get that connection with a seller, have a you know, opportunity to kind of sell your win as something replicable.
00:38:01.280 --> 00:38:03.599
Like we invest in that just the same.
00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:04.159
100%.
00:38:04.559 --> 00:38:04.719
Yeah.
00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:12.400
Well, as we wrap up, I want to just hear what are you guys the most excited about as we round out the rest of the year and the program kind of going forward.
00:38:13.440 --> 00:38:17.280
Well, we're almost midway through fiscal year for us.
00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:24.079
Like I just again, we're it's always kind of that if you think of channel partners is kind of the start of the fiscal year, right?
00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:27.360
Um March channel partners this year, kind of at the midway point.
00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:30.079
Like we've had a really great year in our program.
00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:37.119
I think it's we're s like we've had uh maybe a record-breaking month for us, like March kind of March-April time, frame.
00:38:37.280 --> 00:38:39.039
We've had a really great start to the year.
00:38:39.440 --> 00:38:43.440
We're probably as healthy as we've ever been with the number of bars that are participating.
00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:54.480
And then again, I truly believe like momentum is pointing toward distribution and toward value-added resellers across all three carriers.
00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:57.920
So, like we're in a very, very good spot.
00:38:58.079 --> 00:39:04.719
Um, but to just say what I'm looking forward to, this is the time of year when we start to get our sandals ready, right?
00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:07.679
Like our little button-up shirts for uh Elevate.
00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:13.920
We're getting ready to go to, you know, our our signature event of the year with some of our best partners are carriers.
00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:16.400
Like this time of year, I always start looking forward to that.
00:39:16.480 --> 00:39:20.079
It's you know, it's not too far in the future that we'll be getting ready to go.
00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:35.599
So yeah, I mean, not to overlook the carrier partners, they're their bar partners that we do business with on a daily basis, but I think one of the most exciting parts of my job is being introduced to a new partner, hearing what they do, understanding what their capabilities are.
00:39:36.000 --> 00:39:41.679
It's it's often that we will get on one of those calls and we get off the call and we're like, that is a really cool thing that they're doing.
00:39:41.760 --> 00:39:44.000
Yes, they're doing some amazing things.
00:39:44.239 --> 00:39:52.719
These people sound amazing, and being able to meet new partners, you know, weekly at times is amazing, and that's what I look forward to, right?
00:39:52.880 --> 00:39:58.320
So not only the relationships we have currently with our existing channel partners, but those that we might be exposed to.
00:39:58.639 --> 00:40:00.400
I was gonna say one more thing.
00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.920
If we don't get a mulligan.
00:40:02.239 --> 00:40:16.880
Sorry, I got to because I gotta I gotta say and we've said this many times, and it is the absolute truth in these carrier programs, and leadership changes sometimes, carrier channel strategies maybe can shift.
00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:26.159
It's very positive momentum, but also like the people that are in the channel at the carrier level, that are focused on DSDs, that are focused on VARs.
00:40:26.639 --> 00:40:42.159
We have been so blessed across the board for seven years across the board for the people that we work with every day that are that are doing our job from the other side of the fence, which is trying to foster those value-added reseller and carrier seller relationships.
00:40:42.320 --> 00:40:53.920
Like we're just we're so fortunate to have built the relationships and to have had the people, including the current folks that we're all working with across the board, like just a wonderful team of people.
00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:56.159
Listen, at times the people have changed.
00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:56.400
Right.
00:40:56.559 --> 00:40:59.039
But the quality of the people have not, which is amazing.
00:40:59.360 --> 00:40:59.920
Which is exciting.
00:41:00.079 --> 00:41:09.119
But we're and again, we're we're taking those steps and making those efforts, make sure that we are involved and our we have a voice at the table and everybody's heard our voices.
00:41:09.280 --> 00:41:21.840
And, you know, again, we have hard conversations with them when we there are there's feedback that needs to be given, and we will always go to those carrier partners and and give them the voice of what our customers need, which is so.
00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:23.280
I mean, I think we're all excited.
00:41:23.360 --> 00:41:25.519
There's a lot of potential ahead of us.
00:41:25.679 --> 00:41:29.679
I think as we come into the fall, there's always a good amount of momentum.
00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:32.159
Now we're getting off of um vacation season.
00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:36.639
Like we're getting, we've got a lot as we kind of gear up for the rest of the year.
00:41:36.719 --> 00:41:40.800
And we've got a lot of great momentum that we'll hopefully gonna keep.
00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:49.039
I think as most of the partners will see it if you're working on a calendar year, as you come into the end of the year for us coming into our end of our fiscal year, is it's exciting.
00:41:49.119 --> 00:41:50.559
And it's gonna be exciting.
00:41:50.719 --> 00:41:50.960
Yeah.
00:41:51.119 --> 00:41:53.360
Well, I think we'll we'll see a lot of our partners.
00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:59.440
And hopefully, um, if there's partners or uh that are out there that aren't working with the with us, they'll reach out.
00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:02.719
There's also if there's carriers that are out there listening to this, like reach out.
00:42:02.800 --> 00:42:06.639
We want to connect, we want to just have a quick conversation, we want to have a coffee.
00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:11.039
Like we're here to our job is to foster those relationships.
00:42:11.199 --> 00:42:21.280
So please reach out, please connect with us, and uh, we'll see a lot of people either at channel partners, at Elevate, lots of different opportunities, carrier events, circle of excellence.
00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:22.639
There's a lot of great things coming.
00:42:22.800 --> 00:42:24.400
So thanks guys for joining me.
00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:25.039
I appreciate it.
00:42:25.360 --> 00:42:25.679
Appreciate it.
00:42:25.760 --> 00:42:26.719
The conversation's great.
00:42:26.880 --> 00:42:27.760
Thank you.
