CompTIA Blog

ChannelCon 2014 started with more than 1,000 leading solution providers, analysts, media and other channel organizations — including more than 145 vendor and distributor companies taking part in the Technology Vendor Fair — and concluded with three companies coming out on top as the Best of ChannelCon award winners.

Managed print services provider Supplies Network earned its CompTIA Managed Print Trustmark, a vendor-neutral credential that validates the company’s ability to deliver MPS in an efficient, effective manner; according to Barney Kister the company’s senior vice president of strategic relationships.

A lot of big questions were asked at CompTIA ChannelCon – the association’s yearly event held last week at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort and Spa in Phoenix – and a big one was asked and answered in a panel discussion titled Can the Internet of Things be Monetized? The short answer was yes, but the panelists’ takes on this certainly differed.

Trust issues and reluctance to change are just two reasons managed IT and managed print services have so far stayed in separate worlds, but during CompTIA’s Managed Print Services Community meeting at ChannelCon, West McDonald of Focus MPS and Rob Rae of Datto squared off on what the future of these two areas, and the big question of the day: Will managed IT services and managed print services converge?

Repeat customers are the best customers to keep, and one of the best ways to keep them is to give them exceptional customer service. Make promises and keep them — it builds confidence, according to John Mehrmann of Brainhunter, who gave ChannelCon attendees a brief tutorial on the best practices for customer service.

The global IT skills gap, Jamaica’s high unemployment rate and the country’s growing IT workforce are all variables to a problem UTech Jamaica IT instructor Elmarine Jimenez would like to help solve. An academic partnership with CompTIA is helping UTech Jamaica get certified and become part of the skills gap solution.

There are hundreds of thousands of IT jobs are open in America right now, but how do you find and hire the right people? A panel of IT and HR experts at CompTIA ChannelCon gave attendees a tutorial on how to find and pick their next hire.

There are hundreds of thousands of IT jobs are open in America right now, but how do you find and hire the right people? A panel of IT and HR experts at CompTIA ChannelCon gave attendees a tutorial on how to find and pick their next hire.

Any IT solution provider knows they need to do at least some social media to build brand awareness, but do you know if you’re getting any business from it? Jeff Mesnik of ContentMX told attendees at ChannelCon that to get real results from your social media efforts, you must target, engage and deliver.

Organizations that want to engage in the legislative process must stake a claim on Twitter and other social networks, according to Ray Glendening of McBee Strategic Consulting, talking to TechAmerica Political Action Committee members at ChannelCon. He says being part of the conversation means utilizing D.C.’s primary resource: digital communications.

The flipped classroom model is a hot topic among educators, said Dr. Deanne Cranford-Wesley, but moving all the reading outside of the classroom to maximize hands-on class time can prove to be a challenge. Hear what she and fellow instructor Gerald Kearns shared about their experience designing and implementing a flipped classroom model during their talk at CompTIA’s Academic Educator Conference.

In a presentation about the science of learning — and how it’s possible to trick the brain into learning and retaining information for longer than ever before — attendees of CompTIA’s Academy Educator Conference got an inside look at CertMaster, a new training tool that uses priming, spacing, analytics and engagement tools to help students learn.

Using intrinsic motivators like challenge, control, fantasy and curiosity, plus extrinsic motivators like cooperation, competition, recognition, teachers can nudge students toward being inspired to learn, rather than deterred, according to Mark Relf, the state program coordinator for Rasmussen College, speaking to educators and allies at CompTIA’s Academy Educator Conference in Phoenix. To gamify your classroom, try motivation, new versions of grading, achievement and badges.

After a whirlwind three days of CompTIA ChannelCon, I am on my way home. The captain just informed us that we are the “first revenue flight” for this brand new airplane. This seems oddly appropriate as I reflect on my takeaways from the event. So much ground was covered in the many community and council meetings, training and education sessions, keynotes and networking opportunities at ChannelCon, but everything seemed to revolve around the concept of new models.

In a presentation about the science of learning — and how it’s possible to trick the brain into learning and retaining information for longer than ever before — attendees of CompTIA’s Academy Educator Conference got an inside look at CertMaster, a new training tool that uses priming, spacing, analytics and engagement tools to help students learn.