Mon, Mar 7, 2016 - 10:30 am to 4:00 pm

Off-Site

Channel@Work

 Download to your calendar 
Mon, Mar 7, 2016 - 5:00 pm to 9:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

XChange University: IT Security Day 1

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 7:15 am to 12:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

XChange University: IT Security Day 2

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

Plaza 1

Pre-event Workshop

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

Plaza 3

Pre-event Workshop

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Diamond 6-8

Channel Leadership Forum
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 12:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Registration

Pick up your conference badge and personalized schedule at registration, then stop back any time you have questions that you need answered or feedback that you would like to share. The XChange Events staff is there to help you!

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Solution Provider Orientation

Learn the tips and tricks of making the most of your time at XChange with information from staff and advice from previous attendees.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Sponsor Orientation: XChange Best Practices for Vendor Success

Learn the tips and tricks of making the most of your time at XChange with information from staff and advice from previous attendees.

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Opening Remarks & Keynote: Striking The Balance Between The Dreamers And The Doers

The most innovative companies have learned to master the balance between their divergent and convergent thinkers—the Idea Monkey and Ringleader mindsets—to create this culture. This presentation will help attendees celebrate both the big idea people and the operators who make sure the most important ideas actually happen. Gain insight into how leaders can understand their own strengths and weaknesses and learn practices to keep their teams balanced and highly functioning.

Key innovation learning points:

  • How to leverage the strengths of Idea Monkeys and Ringleaders
  • How to help teams develop the innovator’s mindset
  • How to create a balanced portfolio of new offerings
  • Simple innovation practices that the best companies have discovered and adapted
  • Techniques to get the most out of your creatives and the operators
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 2:45 pm to 3:10 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Channel Chief Address: Samsung Business Division 2016 Strategy and Understanding the Samsung Knox Value Proposition

At their recent Channel Partner Summit Samsung announced new tools to enable to channel to profitably grow their business particularly around mobility solutions. As the number of end points in every organization increases, so do the attack vectors. Learn how Samsung’s KNOX mobile security platform defends against even the most malicious vulnerabilities, and how our security solutions can help expand your portfolio of mobile solutions and services.    

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 3:10 pm to 3:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Coffee Break
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 5:15 pm

See Personalized Agendas

Interactive Boardroom Appointments

Solution providers are assigned into peer groups of 12-15 based on business focus and technology interests.  Vendors select and meet with the boardrooms for 25 minutes, presenting new products, programs, and opportunities – in an environment conducive to spirited conversation and constructive feedback.

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Selling Strategies: The Challenges & Opportunities Facing Today’s Midmarket CIO

The senior IT leaders of today’s midmarket companies face a litany of challenges. They have limited resources to address all of the technology opportunities available while at the same time must respond to the demands of business managers. Midmarket companies make up the biggest growth opportunity for today’s solution providers so understanding the challenges facing the IT leaders is critical to success. Hear from one of the leading speakers from the Midsize Enterprise Summit, an author, CTO and veteran CIO who helps his peers transform their roles and organizations. Solution providers attending this interactive, fun session will walk away with the following:

  • An understanding of the drivers of IT leader decision-making
  • How to make their message relevant
  • What approaches might not work
  • How to become a valued, trusted advisor to IT leaders as they navigate the digital transformation
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 2

Operational Excellence: Managing SMB Solutions That Will Drive Your Cloud Business

In the world of SMBs, the cloud looks a bit different than at the mid-market and enterprise level, as an ecosystem of ISVs targeting SMBs continues to grow and flourish. Many of these companies are new to channel and partner programs and most do not sell through traditional distributors. VARs and MSPs need a strategy to engage with and offer these solutions, without drowning in vendor admin and management. In this session, we look at the emerging marketplaces, matchmaking services, and other resources available to help VARs and MSPs find and offer the right solutions.

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Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Marketing Maverick: How Bluewolf Used Leading-Edge Marketing To Create A New Category--Corinne Sklar, CMO, Bluewolf

Bluewolf used leading-edge marketing tactics to break new ground with customers and software partners. The company bet its future on a new breed of software provider to help
differentiate its business model and stake out high-value opportunities. It has been a leader in the SaaS market and cloud computing and along the way disrupted the go-to-market plan for solution providers.
Hear from the marketing leader behind this phenomenon and how Bluewolf continues to innovate 15 years after its launch.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 6:15 pm to 6:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 6:30 pm to 6:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: It’s Time for Veritas

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Welcome Reception
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm

Sleeping Rooms- 3rd Floor

Demo Rooms

You’ve never seen a hotel room like this before! Vendors create their own fully customized display and demonstrate their newest solutions and products more personally.

 

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm Private Dinners

(By Invitation Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:00 am to 5:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Registration

Pick up your conference badge and personalized schedule at registration, then stop back any time you have questions that you need answered or feedback that you would like to share. The XChange Events staff is there to help you!

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:15 am to 8:00 am

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Breakfast

It’s a full agenda!  Solution providers start the day off with breakfast and coffee to get energized and take advantage of peer networking time.
(Solution Provider Red Badges Only)

 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 8:15 am to 9:00 am

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: Perspectives On Politics & The Impact On Business

With the presidential election only a few months away, the issue of politics is red hot. There is no doubt the results of this year’s election will have a big impact on the business landscape when it comes to growth, taxes, regulation, healthcare and many other major issues. In this session, the Dan Schnur of the University of South California’s Institute of Politics will share his views on politics today. Schnur will apply his political analysis to helping business leaders work better with those who disagree with their point of view and achieve reasoned, rational conversations. His views on the impact of political polarization are eye opening. Schnur worked for years as a political reformer and has held several leadership positions in the field. Among his accomplishments are groundbreaking campaign finance reform and bi-partisan redistricting reform in California. He has even run for statewide office as a non-partisan candidate for California Secretary of State. Schnur was one of California’s leading political strategists working on four presidential and three gubernatorial campaigns. He serve as the Communications Director for the 2000 presidential campaign of  Senator John McCain and served as chief media spokesman for California Gov. Pete Wilson.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 9:00 am to 9:25 am

Platinum A-E

Channel Chief Address: The Cloud Partner Evolution

Customers are more connected, more informed, and have higher expectations than ever. As the cloud continues to transform the world of business and work, partners have to transform too, and find new ways to be profitable, to deliver solutions, and to meet customer needs. Stephen Boyle, Microsoft US Channel Chief, will talk about why partnership with Microsoft is the best decision partners can make, and how we’re enabling them for success

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 9:25 am to 9:45 am

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Coffee Break
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 9:45 am to 11:30 am

See Personalized Agendas

Interactive Boardroom Appointments
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 10:00 am to 10:45 am

Gold Ballroom 4

Sponsor Education Track: Partner Recruitment and Engagement: 5 Essential Ingredients to Drive Success

Improving the partner experience is a top priority for most B-to-B leaders selling through indirect channels, however few organizations are actually realizing their goals. In this educational session from Zift Solutions, you’ll learn how to overcome critical partner recruitment and engagement challenges and the importance of using technology to support the partner experience. Attendees will gain expert insight into the five (5) essential ingredients of a winning Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) platform.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Solutions Track Session: Managed & Cloud Services: Three Pitfalls of Partnering with the Wrong VoIP Provider

President & CEO of Roland Technology Group, Tim Conkle, (a.k.a. “Texas Tim”), knows how to spot the right VoIP provider. Focused on the probability that you’ve already locked arms with some VoIP provider, he points out some very key things to look for to ensure you bring the right company and right offering to the table. Spoiler alert:  Get with a provider who does not sell direct, has no contracts, and replaces hardware for free.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Solutions Track Session: Mobility & Mobile Device Management: How Dell Empowers and Manages Its Vast Mobile Workforce

In this session, Jim Whitmoyer will discuss how Dell uses a suite of tools and computing platforms to ensure its mobile workforce remains highly effective while at the same time feels engaged and connected to the corporate environment. While Dell products will be included in the discussion, this will not be a sales presentation.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Diamond 1-5

Exhibitor Setup (Open to: Sponsors)
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Lunch

(Solution Provider Red Badges Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Operations Track Session: Reach for the Applications

How getting up stream to applications brings you closer to the lines of business (LOB) such as marketing, product development, finance and operations who are making the decisions that will lead to new technologies being implemented. 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Sales Track Session: What’s Hot in Prospecting: Creating Differentiated Pipelines for the Cloud & Mobility Paradigm

Solution providers need to find more quality prospects, better defined prospects, and significantly more "net new" opportunities.  However, the difficulty exists in creating holistic, end-to-end "differentiated" approaches that target each stage of the buyer's journey.  In this session Keith Lubner and Ken Thoreson will discuss how solution providers can create gravitational marketing, change to high-impact prospecting, and increase salesperson prospecting effectiveness to create more robust pipelines….in conjunction and in parallel to your marketing team !

This session will cover:

  • How to develop quality pipelines in existing sales cycles
  • How to create salesperson prospecting cadence plans
  • Tips and Tricks for developing “pipeline roadmaps” with prospects

This session will cover:

  • How to develop quality pipelines in existing sales cycles
  • How to create salesperson prospecting cadence plans
  • Tips and Tricks for developing “pipeline roadmaps” with prospects
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Georgia 1-2

Addressing The C-Suite Challenges: CEO-to-CEO XChange: Hire The Best: How To Find Top Talent With Better Preparation

This session is designed for those in the C-suite who are looking to grow their organizations by adding top talent. The session will explore the reasons why organizations lose great candidates because they accepted a position with another company. This session will also help executives understand why top talent may never even consider joining your team in the first place? The tipping point to attracting and convincing great people to join your organization is how well you prepare to pursue the top performers. Hiring is warfare and to succeed executives need a clear battle plan, superior weapons, and a solid supply line. Don't miss this session where executives will learn new ideas to attract the game-changing talent to fuel 2016 growth and beyond.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 2:15 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Solutions Track Session: Mobility & Mobile Device Management

Join Gordy Wyatt, VMware’s Director of Channel Sales for AirWatch, to discuss the fast growing mobility software partner opportunity. He is a 10 year veteran in the mobile technology sector, and he has spent the last five years at AirWatch leading Sales and Channel Teams. Gordy will facilitate an open dialogue around market sizing, the best channel practices and how VMware can help partners establish and accelerate mobility practices.  He will also discuss how to connect the dots with end-user computing and network security.  AirWatch has been one of VMware's most successful acquisitions, growing over 50% last quarter and continuing to have a leadership position in Gartner’s Mobile Device Management Magic Quadrant. 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 2:15 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Solutions Track Session: Managed & Cloud Services: Take Control of the Cloud

ConnectWise will help you transition into a successful Cloud Service Provider. ConnectWise CloudConsole helps you take control of the cloud by managing, monitoring and billing from one central application.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Coffee Break


 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Marketing Track Session: Marketing Strategies: How to Reach Customers Who Just Don’t Care About Technology

Many solution providers have two distinct types of customers that require very different messaging.  When the sales team calls on the IT staff at midmarket or enterprise customers those buyers want to understand the solution provider’s technical depth to recommend, install, and support a solution. They also want to know how the solution is designed and the components of the solution. However, many solution providers are marketing managed and cloud services to business owners and line of business executives that simply want solutions that work.  They don’t care what the underlying technology is or how it is designed. This session will discuss how to market to these disparate audiences. Attendees will hear best practices around marketing technical depth to one audience and while driving home simplicity and business benefit to another. Gain an understanding of what this means to the overall marketing strategy.  Hear real world examples of how these challenges have been addressed and how strategies continue to evolve.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm Sales Track Session: Learning to Close Effectively

Can you close easily and quickly?  It should be the easiest part the sales process, yet many Solution Providers struggle with this most important aspect of sales. Selling and closing efficiently in a cloud environment are critical success factors in managing Cost of Sales and adding MRR.   In this session attendees will learn specific steps in how to set-up the closing process and how to identify your winning strategy. Each attendee will receive a 4-page closing strategy planning guide.

This session will cover:

  • How to use a Sales Ladder in closing
  • Developing a Closing Plan
  • Closing strategies by buyer personality style
  • Understanding formal and informal power
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

Georgia 1-2

Addressing The C-Suite Challenges: CEO-to-CEO XChange: Hire The Best: Interview Tips To Expose The Actors And Confirm The Superstars

This session is designed for those in the C-suite who are looking to improve their hiring and retention strategies to grow their business. In this session, experts and peers will discuss the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde theory of interviewing and hiring a promising candidate who only turns out to be wrong for the job. Executives will learn how to uncover the 3 key hiring flaws that include why an organization’s hiring system is weak. Attendees will gain insight into strengthening a decision-making process that relies too much on emotion and the desire to fill a seat. In addition, attendees will learn how to work with hiring managers who are unwilling to make the hard call when it comes to job candidates who are just not good enough for your company.  Join our experts who have “been there, done that,” and are never going back.  Learn some of their best techniques to expose the actors and hire truly great people to their team.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Platinum A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 4:45 pm to 5:00 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 5:00 pm to 5:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: The Biggest Disruption To The IT Industry Ever

The IT solution provider community is presently embroiled in the biggest transition in its history. The very nature of what a solution provider is, is changing and while many will flourish it is expected that many will fail. The changes happening now will be far more dramatic than any previous technology change or market transition. With the very definition of success in the market changing executives must understand how to survive this pivotal juncture. Business is changing because the definition of success is changing. In today’s world:

  • Cloud is changing the entire business model
  • Cost of everything is approaching zero
  • Clients are as well informed as solution providers
  • The real client emerges near the end of the sales cycle
  • Your competition is global
  • Most of your clients do not even speak your language

Solution providers are struggling to solve all these problems. This keynote will help attendees plot a course through these changes, frame the problems and recommend radical solutions. Reports of the death of sales have been greatly exaggerated, but the days of the gunslingers are over. It’s time for the Navy Seals of sales to take over.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 5:45 pm to 7:45 pm

Diamond 1-5

Solutions Pavilion

Vendors showcase their products, solutions and programs in booths on the show floor.  It is an exciting, interactive setting for your live product demonstrations, face-to-face meetings, and networking.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm

Sleeping Rooms- 3rd Floor

Demo Rooms

You’ve never seen a hotel room like this before! Vendors create their own fully customized display and demonstrate their newest solutions and products more personally.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm Private Dinners

(By Invitation Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Registration

Pick up your conference badge and personalized schedule at registration, then stop back any time you have questions that you need answered or feedback that you would like to share. The XChange Events staff is there to help you!

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 7:15 am to 8:00 am

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Breakfast

It’s a full agenda!  Solution providers start the day off with breakfast and coffee to get energized and take advantage of peer networking time.
(Soultion Provider Red Badges Only)

 

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 8:15 am to 9:00 am

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: State Of The Channel 2016: Welcome To The Strategic Service Provider Era—Executive Panel Moderated By The Channel Company CEO Robert Faletra

Welcome to the era of the Strategic Service Provider. This channel model encompasses a new breed of partner that has emerged on the scene along with solution providers who have evolved their business to keep pace with the times and maximize customer value and profitability. Strategic Service Providers represent a quantum leap from where the channel was just a few years ago and a major step forward from managed services. The reality is virtually everyone is moving toward a services sales model. This session will help attendees understand how truly successful channel players will adopt the Strategic Service Provider model. It is aspirational for many today and a reality for others. But more and more customers will turn to Strategic Service Providers in the future.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 9:00 am to 9:25 am

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Channel Chief Address: Paving the Way To the All-Flash Data Center

Flash is the largest growth area in the data center and is opening up big opportunities for solution providers. With its recent acquisition of SolidFire and the strengthening of its FlexPod solution with Cisco, NetApp is accelerating the transition to the all-flash data center. In his XChange Channel Chief Address, Bill Lipsin, NetApp’s Vice President of Global Channels, will share his perspectives on how NetApp’s Data Fabric strategy creates new opportunities for solution providers to differentiate their services and offer customers a seamless path to the cloud.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 9:35 am to 11:30 am

See Personalized Agendas

Interactive Boardroom Appointments
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 9:45 am to 10:30 am

Gold Ballroom 4

Sponsor Education Session: Creating Buyer Personas- An Essential Marketing Resource For Your Partners

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 10:45 am to 11:30 am

Gold Ballroom 4

Sponsor Education Session: No More Partner Portals! Leveraging New Tech to Improve Ease of Doing Business

 

 

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: Perspectives from A Fortune 500 CIO

Tom Peck has reached the top of his profession serving as the IT leader of a $20 billion Fortune 500 company. Peck is the Senior Vice President and CIO of AECOM, a  global provider of professional technical and management support services. He supports a workforce made up of architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and construction services professionals in 150 countries. Peck has served as the CIO of Levi Strauss & Co., MGM Mirage and NBC Universal’s global entertainment business unit. His perspective on the IT strategy, inner workings and tech’s impact on the business are invaluable for today’s leading solution providers. Join this session to gain insight on the viewpoint of an enterprise IT leader and how his organization relies on partners today and how that will change going forward. Leading solution provider Quy Nguyen, CEO of Allyance Communications, will conduct a one-on-one with Peck to discuss his views on the industry, partners and IT’s role in driving the business forward.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 12:15 pm to 12:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Lunch

(Solution Provider Red Badges Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm

Georgia 1-2

Marketing Track Session: Differentiation Strategies to Win Sales in a Crowded Market

The IT solutions provider market is highly competitive and volatile. Recurring revenues are more predictable and scalable, but with new players constantly emerging, we must learn how to differentiate in the sales process and avoid being commoditized. In this session, we will discuss strategies to optimize your brand position, go-to-market strategy and sales approach from a real case study.
 
You will gain insights into:

  • How to assess your brand and pre-sales effectiveness
  • Leveraging “playbooks” to differentiate and sell more profitably
  • Strategies to improve customer relationships while creating cross- and upsell opportunities

CLICK HERE to hear an overview on what this session will cover directly from Jonathan Fischer.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Sales Track Session: How to Compensate in a Cloud Services Sales Environment

An interactive discussion around how sales compensation plans are changing as organizations move from a CAPX  sales model to an OPEX environment.   This presentation with use data from a survey of 67 fortune 500 companies who are in the process or have just completed a complete overall of their sales compensation plans.   The presentation will discuss the evolution of the planning process and how the HR and Sales teams are making significant change while also balancing current legacy pay plans and infrastructure.

Specifically the presentation will cover the following topics:

  • State of the Cloud
  • Job Roles
  • Target Pay Levels
  • Mix and Upside
  • Measures and Weights, Mechanics and Links
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Operations Track Session: Optimize Your Operations: Cloud Brokerage: You’re Not Selling Software It’s Now Called “Stockware”

Do you remember the good ol’ days when hardware and software services were all sold through a VAR, distributor or other reseller and everyone made a profit? As those days get further behind the channel and infrastructure in the cloud increases, the next generation of selling has arrived. Call it brokerage in the cloud. Much like a stock broker whose job it is to make his clients money by putting their  investments into “stockware” with the best return, smart technology service providers must master the art of brokerage in the cloud. Attend this session and learn how solution provider organizations can become the trusted cloud broker for their customers. Leading edge solution provider Sean Ferrel, chief executive of Managed Solution, will help both traditional solution providers and services firms find ways to broker cloud-based software. Discover how this business model will help organizations drive revenue and open new opportunities.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm

See Personalized Agenda

Interactive Boardroom Appointments
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 4:45 pm to 6:45 pm

Diamond 1-5

Solutions Pavilion
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 6:45 pm to 8:45 pm

Diamond 1-5

Exhibitor Breakdown (Open to:Sponsors)
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Gold Ballroom Patio

XChange Street Festival
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 8:45 pm to 10:00 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

XCellence Awards & Comedy Club XChange

 

Brought to you by:

 

 

The Comedy Club XChange:

If the old saying laughter is the best medicine is true then XChange attendees will be feeling perfectly healthy late Thursday night. The Comedy Club XChange is going to serve up three comedians guaranteed to put a smile on your face and help you forget all the bad jokes told by our XChange speakers. Our comedians include Al Ducharme, whose first comedy DVD was titled Spineless and Loving It. Remind you of anyone? Then there  is XChange Favorite Juston McKinney, a frequent guest on The Tonight Show whose parent’s misspelled his name on his birth certificate. Rounding things out is Jackie Flynn who has appeared in such great movies as There's Something About Mary, Me, Myself & Irene and Here Comes the Boom. Laughter reduces stress and pain so come and have some fun with your peers.

Featuring:

 Download to your calendar 
Mon, Mar 7, 2016 - 10:30 am to 4:00 pm

Off-Site

Channel@Work

 Download to your calendar 
Mon, Mar 7, 2016 - 5:00 pm to 9:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

XChange University: IT Security Day 1

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 7:15 am to 12:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

XChange University: IT Security Day 2

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

Plaza 3

Pre-event Workshop

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 8:00 am to 12:00 pm

Plaza 1

Pre-event Workshop

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

Diamond 6-8

Channel Leadership Forum
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 12:00 pm to 7:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Registration

Pick up your conference badge and personalized schedule at registration, then stop back any time you have questions that you need answered or feedback that you would like to share. The XChange Events staff is there to help you!

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Solution Provider Orientation

Learn the tips and tricks of making the most of your time at XChange with information from staff and advice from previous attendees.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Sponsor Orientation: XChange Best Practices for Vendor Success

Learn the tips and tricks of making the most of your time at XChange with information from staff and advice from previous attendees.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 1:45 pm to 2:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Opening Remarks & Keynote: Striking The Balance Between The Dreamers And The Doers

The most innovative companies have learned to master the balance between their divergent and convergent thinkers—the Idea Monkey and Ringleader mindsets—to create this culture. This presentation will help attendees celebrate both the big idea people and the operators who make sure the most important ideas actually happen. Gain insight into how leaders can understand their own strengths and weaknesses and learn practices to keep their teams balanced and highly functioning.

Key innovation learning points:

  • How to leverage the strengths of Idea Monkeys and Ringleaders
  • How to help teams develop the innovator’s mindset
  • How to create a balanced portfolio of new offerings
  • Simple innovation practices that the best companies have discovered and adapted
  • Techniques to get the most out of your creatives and the operators
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 2:45 pm to 3:10 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Channel Chief Address: Samsung Business Division 2016 Strategy and Understanding the Samsung Knox Value Proposition

At their recent Channel Partner Summit Samsung announced new tools to enable to channel to profitably grow their business particularly around mobility solutions. As the number of end points in every organization increases, so do the attack vectors. Learn how Samsung’s KNOX mobile security platform defends against even the most malicious vulnerabilities, and how our security solutions can help expand your portfolio of mobile solutions and services.    

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 3:10 pm to 3:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Coffee Break
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 5:15 pm

See Personalized Agendas

Interactive Boardroom Appointments

Solution providers are assigned into peer groups of 12-15 based on business focus and technology interests.  Vendors select and meet with the boardrooms for 25 minutes, presenting new products, programs, and opportunities – in an environment conducive to spirited conversation and constructive feedback.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Selling Strategies: The Challenges & Opportunities Facing Today’s Midmarket CIO

The senior IT leaders of today’s midmarket companies face a litany of challenges. They have limited resources to address all of the technology opportunities available while at the same time must respond to the demands of business managers. Midmarket companies make up the biggest growth opportunity for today’s solution providers so understanding the challenges facing the IT leaders is critical to success. Hear from one of the leading speakers from the Midsize Enterprise Summit, an author, CTO and veteran CIO who helps his peers transform their roles and organizations. Solution providers attending this interactive, fun session will walk away with the following:

  • An understanding of the drivers of IT leader decision-making
  • How to make their message relevant
  • What approaches might not work
  • How to become a valued, trusted advisor to IT leaders as they navigate the digital transformation
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 2

Operational Excellence: Managing SMB Solutions That Will Drive Your Cloud Business

In the world of SMBs, the cloud looks a bit different than at the mid-market and enterprise level, as an ecosystem of ISVs targeting SMBs continues to grow and flourish. Many of these companies are new to channel and partner programs and most do not sell through traditional distributors. VARs and MSPs need a strategy to engage with and offer these solutions, without drowning in vendor admin and management. In this session, we look at the emerging marketplaces, matchmaking services, and other resources available to help VARs and MSPs find and offer the right solutions.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Marketing Maverick: How Bluewolf Used Leading-Edge Marketing To Create A New Category--Corinne Sklar, CMO, Bluewolf

Bluewolf used leading-edge marketing tactics to break new ground with customers and software partners. The company bet its future on a new breed of software provider to help
differentiate its business model and stake out high-value opportunities. It has been a leader in the SaaS market and cloud computing and along the way disrupted the go-to-market plan for solution providers.
Hear from the marketing leader behind this phenomenon and how Bluewolf continues to innovate 15 years after its launch.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 6:15 pm to 6:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 6:30 pm to 6:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: It’s Time for Veritas

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Welcome Reception
 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm

Sleeping Rooms- 3rd Floor

Demo Rooms

You’ve never seen a hotel room like this before! Vendors create their own fully customized display and demonstrate their newest solutions and products more personally.

 

 Download to your calendar 
Tue, Mar 8, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm Private Dinners

(By Invitation Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:00 am to 5:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Registration

Pick up your conference badge and personalized schedule at registration, then stop back any time you have questions that you need answered or feedback that you would like to share. The XChange Events staff is there to help you!

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:15 am to 8:00 am

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Breakfast

It’s a full agenda!  Solution providers start the day off with breakfast and coffee to get energized and take advantage of peer networking time.
(Solution Provider Red Badges Only)

 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 8:15 am to 9:00 am

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: Perspectives On Politics & The Impact On Business

With the presidential election only a few months away, the issue of politics is red hot. There is no doubt the results of this year’s election will have a big impact on the business landscape when it comes to growth, taxes, regulation, healthcare and many other major issues. In this session, the Dan Schnur of the University of South California’s Institute of Politics will share his views on politics today. Schnur will apply his political analysis to helping business leaders work better with those who disagree with their point of view and achieve reasoned, rational conversations. His views on the impact of political polarization are eye opening. Schnur worked for years as a political reformer and has held several leadership positions in the field. Among his accomplishments are groundbreaking campaign finance reform and bi-partisan redistricting reform in California. He has even run for statewide office as a non-partisan candidate for California Secretary of State. Schnur was one of California’s leading political strategists working on four presidential and three gubernatorial campaigns. He serve as the Communications Director for the 2000 presidential campaign of  Senator John McCain and served as chief media spokesman for California Gov. Pete Wilson.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 9:00 am to 9:25 am

Platinum A-E

Channel Chief Address: The Cloud Partner Evolution

Customers are more connected, more informed, and have higher expectations than ever. As the cloud continues to transform the world of business and work, partners have to transform too, and find new ways to be profitable, to deliver solutions, and to meet customer needs. Stephen Boyle, Microsoft US Channel Chief, will talk about why partnership with Microsoft is the best decision partners can make, and how we’re enabling them for success

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 9:25 am to 9:45 am

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Coffee Break
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 9:45 am to 11:30 am

See Personalized Agendas

Interactive Boardroom Appointments
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 10:00 am to 10:45 am

Gold Ballroom 4

Sponsor Education Track: Partner Recruitment and Engagement: 5 Essential Ingredients to Drive Success

Improving the partner experience is a top priority for most B-to-B leaders selling through indirect channels, however few organizations are actually realizing their goals. In this educational session from Zift Solutions, you’ll learn how to overcome critical partner recruitment and engagement challenges and the importance of using technology to support the partner experience. Attendees will gain expert insight into the five (5) essential ingredients of a winning Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) platform.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Solutions Track Session: Managed & Cloud Services: Three Pitfalls of Partnering with the Wrong VoIP Provider

President & CEO of Roland Technology Group, Tim Conkle, (a.k.a. “Texas Tim”), knows how to spot the right VoIP provider. Focused on the probability that you’ve already locked arms with some VoIP provider, he points out some very key things to look for to ensure you bring the right company and right offering to the table. Spoiler alert:  Get with a provider who does not sell direct, has no contracts, and replaces hardware for free.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Solutions Track Session: Mobility & Mobile Device Management: How Dell Empowers and Manages Its Vast Mobile Workforce

In this session, Jim Whitmoyer will discuss how Dell uses a suite of tools and computing platforms to ensure its mobile workforce remains highly effective while at the same time feels engaged and connected to the corporate environment. While Dell products will be included in the discussion, this will not be a sales presentation.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Diamond 1-5

Exhibitor Setup (Open to: Sponsors)
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 12:15 pm to 1:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Lunch

(Solution Provider Red Badges Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Sales Track Session: What’s Hot in Prospecting: Creating Differentiated Pipelines for the Cloud & Mobility Paradigm

Solution providers need to find more quality prospects, better defined prospects, and significantly more "net new" opportunities.  However, the difficulty exists in creating holistic, end-to-end "differentiated" approaches that target each stage of the buyer's journey.  In this session Keith Lubner and Ken Thoreson will discuss how solution providers can create gravitational marketing, change to high-impact prospecting, and increase salesperson prospecting effectiveness to create more robust pipelines….in conjunction and in parallel to your marketing team !

This session will cover:

  • How to develop quality pipelines in existing sales cycles
  • How to create salesperson prospecting cadence plans
  • Tips and Tricks for developing “pipeline roadmaps” with prospects

This session will cover:

  • How to develop quality pipelines in existing sales cycles
  • How to create salesperson prospecting cadence plans
  • Tips and Tricks for developing “pipeline roadmaps” with prospects
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Georgia 1-2

Addressing The C-Suite Challenges: CEO-to-CEO XChange: Hire The Best: How To Find Top Talent With Better Preparation

This session is designed for those in the C-suite who are looking to grow their organizations by adding top talent. The session will explore the reasons why organizations lose great candidates because they accepted a position with another company. This session will also help executives understand why top talent may never even consider joining your team in the first place? The tipping point to attracting and convincing great people to join your organization is how well you prepare to pursue the top performers. Hiring is warfare and to succeed executives need a clear battle plan, superior weapons, and a solid supply line. Don't miss this session where executives will learn new ideas to attract the game-changing talent to fuel 2016 growth and beyond.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Operations Track Session: Reach for the Applications

How getting up stream to applications brings you closer to the lines of business (LOB) such as marketing, product development, finance and operations who are making the decisions that will lead to new technologies being implemented. 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 2:15 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Solutions Track Session: Mobility & Mobile Device Management

Join Gordy Wyatt, VMware’s Director of Channel Sales for AirWatch, to discuss the fast growing mobility software partner opportunity. He is a 10 year veteran in the mobile technology sector, and he has spent the last five years at AirWatch leading Sales and Channel Teams. Gordy will facilitate an open dialogue around market sizing, the best channel practices and how VMware can help partners establish and accelerate mobility practices.  He will also discuss how to connect the dots with end-user computing and network security.  AirWatch has been one of VMware's most successful acquisitions, growing over 50% last quarter and continuing to have a leadership position in Gartner’s Mobile Device Management Magic Quadrant. 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 2:15 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Solutions Track Session: Managed & Cloud Services: Take Control of the Cloud

ConnectWise will help you transition into a successful Cloud Service Provider. ConnectWise CloudConsole helps you take control of the cloud by managing, monitoring and billing from one central application.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 2:45 pm to 3:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Coffee Break


 

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Marketing Track Session: Marketing Strategies: How to Reach Customers Who Just Don’t Care About Technology

Many solution providers have two distinct types of customers that require very different messaging.  When the sales team calls on the IT staff at midmarket or enterprise customers those buyers want to understand the solution provider’s technical depth to recommend, install, and support a solution. They also want to know how the solution is designed and the components of the solution. However, many solution providers are marketing managed and cloud services to business owners and line of business executives that simply want solutions that work.  They don’t care what the underlying technology is or how it is designed. This session will discuss how to market to these disparate audiences. Attendees will hear best practices around marketing technical depth to one audience and while driving home simplicity and business benefit to another. Gain an understanding of what this means to the overall marketing strategy.  Hear real world examples of how these challenges have been addressed and how strategies continue to evolve.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm Sales Track Session: Learning to Close Effectively

Can you close easily and quickly?  It should be the easiest part the sales process, yet many Solution Providers struggle with this most important aspect of sales. Selling and closing efficiently in a cloud environment are critical success factors in managing Cost of Sales and adding MRR.   In this session attendees will learn specific steps in how to set-up the closing process and how to identify your winning strategy. Each attendee will receive a 4-page closing strategy planning guide.

This session will cover:

  • How to use a Sales Ladder in closing
  • Developing a Closing Plan
  • Closing strategies by buyer personality style
  • Understanding formal and informal power
 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm

Georgia 1-2

Addressing The C-Suite Challenges: CEO-to-CEO XChange: Hire The Best: Interview Tips To Expose The Actors And Confirm The Superstars

This session is designed for those in the C-suite who are looking to improve their hiring and retention strategies to grow their business. In this session, experts and peers will discuss the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde theory of interviewing and hiring a promising candidate who only turns out to be wrong for the job. Executives will learn how to uncover the 3 key hiring flaws that include why an organization’s hiring system is weak. Attendees will gain insight into strengthening a decision-making process that relies too much on emotion and the desire to fill a seat. In addition, attendees will learn how to work with hiring managers who are unwilling to make the hard call when it comes to job candidates who are just not good enough for your company.  Join our experts who have “been there, done that,” and are never going back.  Learn some of their best techniques to expose the actors and hire truly great people to their team.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Platinum A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 4:45 pm to 5:00 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 5:00 pm to 5:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: The Biggest Disruption To The IT Industry Ever

The IT solution provider community is presently embroiled in the biggest transition in its history. The very nature of what a solution provider is, is changing and while many will flourish it is expected that many will fail. The changes happening now will be far more dramatic than any previous technology change or market transition. With the very definition of success in the market changing executives must understand how to survive this pivotal juncture. Business is changing because the definition of success is changing. In today’s world:

  • Cloud is changing the entire business model
  • Cost of everything is approaching zero
  • Clients are as well informed as solution providers
  • The real client emerges near the end of the sales cycle
  • Your competition is global
  • Most of your clients do not even speak your language

Solution providers are struggling to solve all these problems. This keynote will help attendees plot a course through these changes, frame the problems and recommend radical solutions. Reports of the death of sales have been greatly exaggerated, but the days of the gunslingers are over. It’s time for the Navy Seals of sales to take over.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 5:45 pm to 7:45 pm

Diamond 1-5

Solutions Pavilion

Vendors showcase their products, solutions and programs in booths on the show floor.  It is an exciting, interactive setting for your live product demonstrations, face-to-face meetings, and networking.

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm Private Dinners

(By Invitation Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Wed, Mar 9, 2016 - 7:45 pm to 9:15 pm

Sleeping Rooms- 3rd Floor

Demo Rooms

You’ve never seen a hotel room like this before! Vendors create their own fully customized display and demonstrate their newest solutions and products more personally.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Platinum Ballroom Foyer

Registration

Pick up your conference badge and personalized schedule at registration, then stop back any time you have questions that you need answered or feedback that you would like to share. The XChange Events staff is there to help you!

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 7:15 am to 8:00 am

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Breakfast

It’s a full agenda!  Solution providers start the day off with breakfast and coffee to get energized and take advantage of peer networking time.
(Soultion Provider Red Badges Only)

 

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 8:15 am to 9:00 am

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: State Of The Channel 2016: Welcome To The Strategic Service Provider Era—Executive Panel Moderated By The Channel Company CEO Robert Faletra

Welcome to the era of the Strategic Service Provider. This channel model encompasses a new breed of partner that has emerged on the scene along with solution providers who have evolved their business to keep pace with the times and maximize customer value and profitability. Strategic Service Providers represent a quantum leap from where the channel was just a few years ago and a major step forward from managed services. The reality is virtually everyone is moving toward a services sales model. This session will help attendees understand how truly successful channel players will adopt the Strategic Service Provider model. It is aspirational for many today and a reality for others. But more and more customers will turn to Strategic Service Providers in the future.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 9:00 am to 9:25 am

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Channel Chief Address: Paving the Way To the All-Flash Data Center

Flash is the largest growth area in the data center and is opening up big opportunities for solution providers. With its recent acquisition of SolidFire and the strengthening of its FlexPod solution with Cisco, NetApp is accelerating the transition to the all-flash data center. In his XChange Channel Chief Address, Bill Lipsin, NetApp’s Vice President of Global Channels, will share his perspectives on how NetApp’s Data Fabric strategy creates new opportunities for solution providers to differentiate their services and offer customers a seamless path to the cloud.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 9:35 am to 11:30 am

See Personalized Agendas

Interactive Boardroom Appointments
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 9:45 am to 10:30 am

Gold Ballroom 4

Sponsor Education Session: Creating Buyer Personas- An Essential Marketing Resource For Your Partners

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 10:45 am to 11:30 am

Gold Ballroom 4

Sponsor Education Session: No More Partner Portals! Leveraging New Tech to Improve Ease of Doing Business

 

 

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 11:45 am to 12:15 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Keynote: Perspectives from A Fortune 500 CIO

Tom Peck has reached the top of his profession serving as the IT leader of a $20 billion Fortune 500 company. Peck is the Senior Vice President and CIO of AECOM, a  global provider of professional technical and management support services. He supports a workforce made up of architects, engineers, designers, planners, scientists and construction services professionals in 150 countries. Peck has served as the CIO of Levi Strauss & Co., MGM Mirage and NBC Universal’s global entertainment business unit. His perspective on the IT strategy, inner workings and tech’s impact on the business are invaluable for today’s leading solution providers. Join this session to gain insight on the viewpoint of an enterprise IT leader and how his organization relies on partners today and how that will change going forward. Leading solution provider Quy Nguyen, CEO of Allyance Communications, will conduct a one-on-one with Peck to discuss his views on the industry, partners and IT’s role in driving the business forward.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 12:15 pm to 12:30 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

Tech Directions: Understanding Today’s Leading IT Solutions Designed To Drive Partner Growth

Join this session to understand the product, solution and IT roadmap of today’s leading vendors. Solution providers need to understand a vendor’s channel strategy and its technology direction to fully maximize the opportunity with the customers—existing and prospects. During this session, vendor executives will share their insight into how their solution set is evolving; where company resources are focusing and where innovation is meeting revenue opportunities. This is not geek speak but content designed for business executives who are looking to apply technology to solve business problems.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 1-2

Solution Provider Lunch

(Solution Provider Red Badges Only)

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm

Georgia 1-2

Marketing Track Session: Differentiation Strategies to Win Sales in a Crowded Market

The IT solutions provider market is highly competitive and volatile. Recurring revenues are more predictable and scalable, but with new players constantly emerging, we must learn how to differentiate in the sales process and avoid being commoditized. In this session, we will discuss strategies to optimize your brand position, go-to-market strategy and sales approach from a real case study.
 
You will gain insights into:

  • How to assess your brand and pre-sales effectiveness
  • Leveraging “playbooks” to differentiate and sell more profitably
  • Strategies to improve customer relationships while creating cross- and upsell opportunities

CLICK HERE to hear an overview on what this session will cover directly from Jonathan Fischer.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 4

Sales Track Session: How to Compensate in a Cloud Services Sales Environment

An interactive discussion around how sales compensation plans are changing as organizations move from a CAPX  sales model to an OPEX environment.   This presentation with use data from a survey of 67 fortune 500 companies who are in the process or have just completed a complete overall of their sales compensation plans.   The presentation will discuss the evolution of the planning process and how the HR and Sales teams are making significant change while also balancing current legacy pay plans and infrastructure.

Specifically the presentation will cover the following topics:

  • State of the Cloud
  • Job Roles
  • Target Pay Levels
  • Mix and Upside
  • Measures and Weights, Mechanics and Links
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm

Gold Ballroom 3

Operations Track Session: Optimize Your Operations: Cloud Brokerage: You’re Not Selling Software It’s Now Called “Stockware”

Do you remember the good ol’ days when hardware and software services were all sold through a VAR, distributor or other reseller and everyone made a profit? As those days get further behind the channel and infrastructure in the cloud increases, the next generation of selling has arrived. Call it brokerage in the cloud. Much like a stock broker whose job it is to make his clients money by putting their  investments into “stockware” with the best return, smart technology service providers must master the art of brokerage in the cloud. Attend this session and learn how solution provider organizations can become the trusted cloud broker for their customers. Leading edge solution provider Sean Ferrel, chief executive of Managed Solution, will help both traditional solution providers and services firms find ways to broker cloud-based software. Discover how this business model will help organizations drive revenue and open new opportunities.

 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm

See Personalized Agenda

Interactive Boardroom Appointments
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 4:45 pm to 6:45 pm

Diamond 1-5

Solutions Pavilion
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 6:45 pm to 8:45 pm

Diamond 1-5

Exhibitor Breakdown (Open to:Sponsors)
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Gold Ballroom Patio

XChange Street Festival
 Download to your calendar 
Thu, Mar 10, 2016 - 8:45 pm to 10:00 pm

Platinum Ballroom A-E

XCellence Awards & Comedy Club XChange

 

Brought to you by:

 

 

The Comedy Club XChange:

If the old saying laughter is the best medicine is true then XChange attendees will be feeling perfectly healthy late Thursday night. The Comedy Club XChange is going to serve up three comedians guaranteed to put a smile on your face and help you forget all the bad jokes told by our XChange speakers. Our comedians include Al Ducharme, whose first comedy DVD was titled Spineless and Loving It. Remind you of anyone? Then there  is XChange Favorite Juston McKinney, a frequent guest on The Tonight Show whose parent’s misspelled his name on his birth certificate. Rounding things out is Jackie Flynn who has appeared in such great movies as There's Something About Mary, Me, Myself & Irene and Here Comes the Boom. Laughter reduces stress and pain so come and have some fun with your peers.

Featuring:

 Download to your calendar 

Be A Speaker

The Channel Company strives to deliver events rich in content to our audiences. We are always interested in learning about prospective speakers ─ industry experts, inspirational leaders and individuals with unique perspectives ─ for our events. If you would like to be considered, please complete and submit a form to tell us a little about yourself and what you would like to present.