The move expands the distributors Samsung portfolio beyond hardware and into mobile device management and security software.

The distributor has been a Samsung mobile devices distributor for UK business-to-business markets since July last year. The addition of Knox means TD SYNNEX can now offer partners Samsung Galaxy devices and also management and security through a single channel.

Samsung Knox is used by organisations to configure, deploy and manage Samsung mobile devices. Tools cover device setup, policy enforcement and security controls.

James Reed, managing director of endpoint solutions for the UK and Ireland at TD SYNNEX (below), said partners will now be able to add managed deployment and security services to Samsung device sales. He added that Knox was a “natural extension” of the company’s existing relationship with Samsung.

Knox is offered in three tiers; Base, Essentials and Enterprise aimed at different business requirements. Knox has been in the market since 2013 and is used by thousands of organisations worldwide to manage big deployments of Samsung devices.

The appointment further reinforces TD SYNNEX’s focus on endpoint management and security as distributors compete to offer partners more complete device lifecycle and management propositions in the UK enterprise mobility market.

The distributor  added Samsung to its mobile vendor line-up in July last year adding to its Apple, Google, and Motorola accounts. The new division has been estanlshed following following what it describes as “strong growth and increased partner engagement in the category”. 

TD Synnex is how offering mobile specialists access to its full services portfolio, including next-day delivery, drop-shipment, private-label fulfilment, and finance options through TD Synnex Capital.

The distributor is also pushing its trade-in and lifecycle proposition, strengthened by a recent extension to its agreement with electronics lifecycle services provider Cordon Group. The deal expands TD SYNNEX’s ability to offer partners end-to-end device lifecycle support, from trade-in to refurbishment and resale.

James Reed, (main pic)  MD  of the Endpoint Solutions division which handles PCs, laptops, mobiles, peripherals said aid the move had helped drive an “uplift in activity and partner engagement.

“We’ve had a strong B2B mobile business for many years. We’ve formed the specialist mobile team to ensure we can continue to meet the particular needs of partners in this market and support them in growing their business.”” Reed said.

The new setup includes six dedicated heads working directly with mobile partners, supported by TD Synnext’s retail, sales, business development, vendor product management, and marketing teams.

Key appointments include: Callum Kennedy  (Account Director, Retail and Telco) responsible for business development and engagement with mobile-focused partners. He was most recently Business Manager for Google hardware, mobile, and consumer electronics.

Frankie Lennard  (Partner Success Manager, Retail) is tasked with helping mobile specialists maximise TD Synne services and resources.

Reed said the company will continue to invest “where we can see an opportunity to add more value and support partner growth,” leaving the door open for future expansion.

With Apple, Samsung, Google, and Motorola in its line-up, TD Synnex says it offers a “compelling value proposition” for partners in both consumer and B2B mobile markets, supported by advanced logistics, finance, and business development services.

Tech Data became TD Synnex in 2021, after completing its merger with Synnex Corporation. The combined company kept TD Synnex as its new brand name, with headquarters in both Clearwater, Florida, and Fremont, California.

Tech Data has made strides in the repair and insurance and 5G WAN spaces with two new partnerships.

Tech Data’s reseller partners will now be able to access IT and mobile repair and insurance services from MendIT, and 5G WAN solutions from Cradlepoint.

MendIT

Tech Data’s partnership with MendIT means its retailer and reseller partners can quote their customers for warranties and repair services offered by the Burnley-based firm.

The distributor is offering more than 300 contracts that it claims cover all the major hardware brands.

To support the partnership, Tech Data has appointed Rachel Baker as a full-time business development executive to drive business with MendIT.

“This agreement with MendIT is a valuable addition to our lifecycle services portfolio,” said Tech Data’s managing director for endpoint solutions James Reed (pictured).

“This, along with our other lifecycle offerings, provides our partners with a complete services ecosystem that allows them to offer more value and investment protection to their customers and drive higher revenues and profitability.”

MendIT sales director Andrew Derbyshire added: “This partnership is a landmark for MendIT. By making our services an integral part of their lifecycle proposition, Tech Data is opening up huge additional potential for us to reach out to more partners, help them to grow their sales and deliver more value to their end user customers.”

As part of the launch, Tech Data is offering a free OtterBox protective case for mobile phones on selected MendIT contracts.

Cradlepoint

Tech Data’s reseller partners are now also available to offer Cradlepoint’s range of connectivity offerings.

This marks Tech Data’s UK entry into the connectivity market, with Reed calling it a “highly significant addition” to the distributor’s portfolio.

“It takes us into the cellular connectivity market at a time when maintaining a reliable connection is more vital than ever to organisations,” he said. “With Cradlepoint’s solutions, our reseller partners will be able to offer fast, reliable, and flexible connectivity where it’s needed, and whether it’s the primary or a backup connection.”

Tech Data says it is recruiting a dedicated business manager for its Cradlepoint offerings and developing a programme to give resellers the requisite knowledge to be accredited providers of Cradlepoint.

Reed added: “We see huge potential for Cradlepoint’s offerings, not only in the enterprise and mid-market spaces, but also in vertical segments where there is a need to deploy dependable connectivity fast and wherever it may be required, and for edge-located IoT and data collection applications.”

Tech Data’s resellers took centre stage at the distributor’s second annual Tech Data Live show, held at Ascot Racecourse on September 26.

With double the space and attendees of its inaugural show, it took on a different complexion to that of a usual trade exhibition. Instead of individual stands for each vendor, Tech Data Live was divided into 10 areas themed around different technology services offered by the company and its resellers – such as healthcare, education, security and the modern workplace.

In this way, multiple vendors could occupy an area that focused on services they specialised in, meaning resellers had easier access to specific expertise.

A main stage, meanwhile, featured keynote speeches from the MDs of companies such as HP and Dell Technologies.

“The shift to having a day focused for our resellers and their solutions has sparked some really interesting conversations,” said Tech Data’s UK and Ireland head of services David Nelson. “They’re not pigeonholed into speaking to one vendor and can speak to everybody in an area they specialise in; I think it’s worked really well.”

For the company’s group marketing director, Linda Patterson, it was important to offer attendees a different experience to the norm: “Last year, every participating vendor had their own stand, whereas this year it’s very much about looking at it from the reseller perspective.”

She added that depending on feedback, the venue and structure of the event could change again for next year’s iteration.

Trusted advisor

Tech Data’s “trusted advisor” ethos was the main theme it was trying to communicate to attendees.
In his opening address, executive director for UK and Ireland sales Martin Boyce said the mindset is underpinned by four key pillars geared towards aiding Tech Data’s customers: growing sales, increasing profitability, reducing costs, and driving higher customer satisfaction. “The marketplace is changing rapidly, and the needs of our end users are changing rapidly. We need to adapt what we do as we go through that journey together,” he said.

“If we look at the depth and breadth of our portfolio, sometimes it’s challenging for individuals, whether they’re account managers or business development people, to fully articulate our capabilities. “Now our role is more about being an enabler, providing the support for understanding and designing solutions and propositions for the modern marketplace.”

Broader focus

At the event, there was no single central focus for Tech Data’s mobile offerings, nor any mobile-specific vendors in attendance. This aligns with the company’s restructure over the past year, which has seen its mobile division incorporated into its endpoint solutions division that also focuses on printers, laptops, PCs and tablets.

Business unit director for mobile endpoint solutions David Brassington explained: “We are a continually evolving and developing business. From a distribution point of view, that’s super important because, in our world, if you’re standing still you’re going backwards.”

However, mobile remains an important focus for the company, according to head of endpoint solutions James Reed. “Mobile is a big part of endpoint solutions,” he said. “The way the market’s evolving, we need to have a good portfolio of mobile products to supply the endpoint requirements of our business. People aren’t just using laptops and desktops anymore, while mobiles take a lot of different shapes and sizes.”

Reed, who took over the role from Matt Child in May, added that he wanted to drive mobility harder among Tech Data’s B2B partner base.

A mobile brand that recently launched with the company as a distribution partner was Xiaomi. The Chinese vendor has, however, struggled in its debut year in the UK, and looks unlikely to reach its lofty aim of 10 per cent market share by the end of this year.

Nelson conceded that the vendor had underestimated the difficulty of growing in
the UK market: “At Xiaomi’s price point, it’s quite a cluttered market. They came in from being big in Asia, and trying to bring that to the UK hasn’t translated the way they’d like. There are some challenges with being a manufacturer in a new market, but they seem to be learning quickly.”

Triple-digit growth

Nelson added that Tech Data’s Tech-as-a- Service (TaaS) proposition has seen triple digit-  percentage growth year-on-year in its second year. The offering allows customers and resellers to buy hardware, software and services in a combined bundle, with payments possibly in monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly instalments for a period of 12, 24 or 36 months.

“We expect this growth to continue, because people don’t necessarily want to buy on a capital expenditure model any more, and we want to offer the end user a completely different way to purchase what they need,” said Nelson. Tech Data is aiming to bolster its TaaS offering next year with the integration of its TD Renew proposition, under which customers can trade in their old devices or equipment when they purchase new products.

Tech Data UK has announced two internal changes to its board.

Matt Child, who was previously managing director of endpoint solutions, has been appointed with immediate effect to the role of advanced solutions managing director, UK and Ireland.

James Reed, who was previously business unit director of endpoint solutions, has been promoted to Child’s former role, and joins the Tech Data board.

Child has been at Tech Data for four years. Before being managing director of endpoint solutions he was the managing director of the mobile UK & consumer technology group.

Reed has been with Tech Data for more than 18 years, working in a variety of roles including business unit director for software and PCs and acting commercial director for UK and Ireland.

Commenting on their appointments, Tech Data UK and Ireland managing director David Watts said: “We know that through his experience and abilities, Matt will make a superb contribution to the Advanced Solutions team as well as to our impact on the market. James has proved that he is equally well positioned and qualified to take on the role of Managing Director, Endpoint Solutions. We’re very excited about these appointments, knowing that they both bode very well for Matt and James’ future, as well as Tech Data’s.”