The AccessChannel Team
If you need professional advice on what Ingram seeks in a prospective vendor, you can’t get any better than Al Mann and Mike Terrell. With over 25 years of IT industry experience, this dynamic team’s insider experience and their objective opinion is invaluable.
Nobody picks, packs and ships better than Ingram Micro. Their streamlined processes and efficiencies have won over the most reputable partners. Ingram Micro’s logistic capabilities earned loyalty from hundreds of vendors and thousands of customers. A relationship with an Ingram expert would be an advantage for any emerging vendor, ready to break into distribution.
Ingram Micro achieved great success in the 90’s, which was under the Product Management and Logistics direction of both Al Mann and Michael Terrell, among other fine talent. However, Al and Mike’s combined aptitude and knowledge of the distribution channel, in addition to their relationships within the organization, has been beneficial to many AccessChannel clients.
Consumers and SMB accounts want access to new innovative products (from emerging vendors) to help them be more productive, communicate more effectively and enhance their lifestyle experiences. These prospective buyers are recognized as the “early adopters” of new technologies and are fueling the demand of design houses and manufacturers to come to market faster with innovative product solutions. They want to be introduced to and learn about new products through trusted channels—and ultimately, purchase them.
For the vendor, any chance of success hinges their ability to gain rapid market access to the channel of technology resellers and service providers. The most efficient way to reach their prospective customers is through a Tier 1 Distributor such as Ingram Micro, who can deliver a vast array of product solutions and services to the market. The historical issue for the distributor is that emerging vendors place a higher cost and risk burden than profit contribution. It is hard for a distributor to justify bringing on a new and proven vendor. Hence, the strict requirements and hurdles set to gain acceptance are very challenging for a small, prospective vendor to overcome.
Al and Mike immediately recognized an opportunity for these emerging vendors. Their past experience, in leading Ingram Micro, showed them that only way for a distributor to grow is to continue to offer more pioneering technology to more customers. Their expertise enabled them to develop the AccessChannel model that mindfully eliminates the cost and risk from the distributor. Meanwhile, it opens up market opportunity for the vendors, to effectively and efficiently enter the channel and ultimately, reach consumers and businesses.