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34
EVENTS
Continued...
Integra CEO Aidan McDonough
kicked off the ‘Celebrating 20
Years’ 2017 National Conference,
welcoming all guests to this
very special celebration. The
day’s itinerary included several
thought provoking, insightful and
entertaining keynote addresses, two
practical workshops, demonstrations
of the new Evolution X software, as
well as a three-and-a-half hour-long
Supplier Exhibition featuring 60 of
Integra’s key partners.
McDonough reflected on the past
20 years when organisations including
Amazon and Google, which he described
as being ‘the greatest catalyst in driving
down margins in this industry’ did not
exist. Speaking about the here and now,
he acknowledged a number of contributory
factors that have made the current
climate ‘incredibly dynamic and tough
for dealers’. Sharing his thoughts on the
future, he predicted that the current trend
for consolidation through mergers and
acquisitions would continue, a state of
affairs where he sees both challenges and
opportunities for the independent dealer.
“There are sectors of growth in this
industry and so many opportunities,” he
said, urging members to look to diversify
and seize the opportunity. “You’ve got to
decide what will make the most impact on
your business, look at your client base and
see what else you can add as a managed
service – that’s something the corporate
and e-commerce providers can’t deliver,”
he stated.
He continued by stressing the
importance of relationships. “Our strategy
has got to be fundamentally about growth
– whether that’s in revenue, margin or
anything else,” he said, adding: “That’s the
direction of travel for us and the strategic
partnerships we have with distributors and
suppliers is key.”
McDonough outlined a number of
new areas such as the relationship with
Findel within the Education sector as well
as the new MPS solution in partnership
with Centrex Services (see page 32), both
of which have been developed to help
members win new business.
Future trends in office working
practices
In a keynote address, Philip Lawson CEO,
BOSS Federation provided invaluable
insight into the future trends in office
working practices and the impact these will
have on the sector over the next five years.
“We’re now in the 4th Industrial
Revolution,” he said, adding that
Over 220 delegates celebrated Integra Business Solutions’ milestone 20th Anniversary
at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Stratford upon Avon, on September 28
Celebrating 20 years
automation and AI, immersive technology -
virtual reality, IoT, man-machine integration
and big data, are all now becoming
ubiquitous, and potentially represent a
huge threat to the sector.
However he argued that those
same potential threats also present
the independent dealer channel with
opportunities. The agile dealer could look
to exploit those technologies to win, he
reasoned. For example selling products
through virtual reality, using AI to be lean
and fit for purpose, or tracking orders/
fulfilment and measuring asset use via
RFID tags.
“It makes sense to have a paradigm
shift,” he said. “Should we become trusted
advisors selling solutions and securing
recurring revenues? Still selling the things
you are already selling, just in a different
way. The future’s bright for those who can
adapt,” he said in conclusion.
Workshops
In a thirty minute workshop, Peter
Waycot, Training Specialist & Performance
Coach, Inspire Me, provided delegates
with some invaluable advice on how to
overcome objections when prospecting and
innovative ways to uncover additional sales
opportunities.
Attendees benefited from his vast
experience and in-depth understanding
of the key issues sales professionals are
facing in a declining market. In this session,
he focused on how members could uncover
additional sales opportunities outside of
general office supplies, whilst creating
differentiation in the eyes of their buyers.
He also posed some food for thought,
offering advice on ways to increase
additional category spend and uncover
new sales opportunities with existing and
Aidan McDonough,
CEO
, Integra
Philip Lawson,
CEO
,
Boss Federation
Supplier exhibition
Supplier exhibition
