Surely you’ve seen this pattern: It’s easy to get customers to share their frustrations, but can be nearly impossible to get them to share their business plans. While some can be extremely open, others just flat out refuse — and for a number of reasons. Your client’s plans may be incomplete or nonexistent, or they may not have the ability to communicate them effectively. Either way, it leaves one of their key business partners without the information needed to help them accomplish their goals.
With clients in many vertical markets and with various specializations, solution providers and vendors often turn to case studies and other testimonial-type stories to increase their comprehension of end-user needs. These anecdotes give IT channel organizations a better understanding of their customers’ issues and concerns, and offer ideas that can help them benefit from the latest technologies and services. While these articles provide a great snapshot of a particular business or specific opportunity, readers typically can’t ask questions or interact with the featured executive.
That communication limitation was addressed when the CompTIA IT Services and Support (ITSS) Community gathered for its third quarter meeting in Philadelphia. Looking for new ways to improve collaboration and continue its growth, the executive board retooled the agenda to include discussions with a number of high-level end users.
Leading off the lineup was Hal Friedlander, chief information officer for the New York City Department of Education. Rather than focus on how students are using the latest technologies, Friedlander used his ITSS presentation to elaborate in great detail on the challenges of widespread implementation and user adoption. With ed-tech opportunities approaching $7 billion annually and reaching into almost every community, it seems like a viable market for virtually every solution provider.
The NYC Department of Education is the largest public school system in the U.S., with more than 1.1 million students and 100,000 employees in 1,400 building and 1,800 schools. While its complexities and obstacles and surely larger than most other ed-tech systems, the information Friedlander shared with the group was illuminating.
“Even with the experience my company has in the education market, this discussion was extremely insightful education,” said Aaron Acker, senior director of business development for the Worth Ave. Group. “It was interesting to hear his perspective on how laptops and tablets could be used to greater effect in the classroom, as well as how solution providers have to change to better support their needs.”
Friedlander pointed out that the responsibility for delivering workable technologies in the classroom doesn’t just fall on solution providers as demonstrated by recent resignation of the Los Angeles school superintendent. Their $1.3 billion plan to roll out iPads to each student was criticized after many devices were hacked and used to play games or to gain access to social media. Combined with flaws with a new school data system that left some students without class assignments or transcripts for college applications, the tech issues were key to his departure.
A Different Perspective
The LA case highlights the value of capable IT consultants and experienced solution providers. Those with a solid understanding of the educational system — from its leadership team and teachers to the kids and parents — will be more likely to build and support the systems they need. That’s one key point Colleen Howley, vice president of business development with Marathon Deployment took from Friedlander’s presentation.
“To anyone who has kids or works with children, this discussion really hit home. The learning methods have changed and tablets are really needed in our schools, so his presentation on the funding options and implementation issues was very informative. He challenged the providers in attendance to come up with better options in the ed-tech space and made it relevant to everyone in the room.”
Friedlander’s discussion also highlighted the challenges of the equipment vendors are developing. “When you compare the size of an iPad to a child’s hand, it doesn’t fit. Most tablets aren’t made for young children, so it’s something that has to be considered when designing and proposing ed-tech solutions,” added Howley.
For the ITSS Community, having someone with such deep educational IT experience available to present his insight and submit to an interactive Q&A session is invaluable. With a host of federal, state and privately funded initiatives available, the ed-tech market is a real opportunity for uniquely skilled providers and vendors.
The education discussion wasn’t the only case study presented during the Philadelphia meeting. We’ll share information from Guy Fruda, Deloitte’s regional technology chief information officer, in an upcoming post.
Would you like to take part in these types of thought-provoking, interactive industry discussions? Send an email to CompTIA Community Director Cathy Alper at Calper@comptia.org.
Brian Sherman is principal consultant at Tech Success Communications, an IT channel business development and marketing firm. He served previously as chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and senior director of industry alliances with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@techsuccesscommunications.com.
