ITEX Imaging & Technology Education Exposition is the largest, most extensive trade show in the office technology space. ITEX connects vendors, distributors and business solution providers (BSPs) including: managed service providers, copier and printer dealers, and IT VARs.
ITEX aims to provide BSPs with access to vendor-neutral education, the newest trends, and widely-accepted business practices. Marc Spring is the founder of ITEX, which originated in 2001. He sold the show in 2006 and last year he re-acquired ITEX, bringing it back to Vegas, the epicenter of the trade show world. As this year’s show is rapidly approaching, founder Marc Spring sounds off on what to expect at ITEX 2018.
What is the direction of ITEX 2018?
Spring: ITEX is an event that peels back the curtain on the latest opportunities for business solution providers. As the connected office has become a reality, BSPs face steep challenges, along with massive opportunities to “Own the Office,” meaning BSPs need to offer a complete solution. Instead of focusing solely on one area, such as print, telecom, managed IT or document management, ITEX helps BSPs replace that OR with AND, enabling an increase in revenue from their existing base.
What new additions will we see at ITEX 2018?
Spring: We have more co-locations than ever before, offering a networking and team growth opportunity for companies. The MSP Expo, a well- established Telecom event, is co-locating their event with ITEX, attracting a large amount of telecom VARs, telecom vendors, and a great deal of education on how to add telecom into a company’s product mix. On the copier/print side, we have SDG, Compass Sales Solution, Pros Elite, Visual Edge, and MPSA, all hosting events at ITEX.
What are the main advantages for vendors at ITEX 2018?
Marc Spring
Spring: Firstly, meet a new, more diverse group of reseller partners. Our average attendee has annual revenues of over $5 million and many companies in attendance will eclipse over $100 million. No other event of this kind draws such sizeable BSPs.
Additionally, attendees have the ability to gain a true vision of what it takes to be a great vendor partner, with the opportunity to meet resellers who are on the front lines, with the product face-to face. Insight into the market is best gathered by speaking with the business owners, with the ability to learn what aspects make a great or awful vendor partner. Finally, be informed that ITEX events are wholly vendor neutral. ITEX is a place to get unbiased views and perspective from industry professionals.
What speakers are attending ITEX 2018?
Spring: ITEX education is presented by the industry experts, vendors and dealers. However, we emphasize that vendors and industry experts must present vendor neutral education, so that the audience can get real world stories from dealers, rather than a vendor presentation masquerading as education. Our education is designed and shared by the innovators, movers and shakers in our space.
What topics will be covered in the educational tracks?
Spring: The focus of education is about how to become the complete provider, with the ability to “Own the Office.” Our education will focus on ways to broaden the scope of your business, and how to integrate the pieces your company may be missing from a financial, strategic and sales perspective. You will learn what it takes to add alternative product segments such as managed IT, cloud, security and telecom, to your existing offering. We will cover core concepts from an imaging perspective, including document management, MPS, and production printing. ITEX will give you the insight into the latest money makers in the print space.
Final thoughts before we head off to ITEX?
Spring: I would like to close by saying thank you to everyone who has gotten behind ITEX. The industry needs a vendor neutral place to meet. With the expansive number of meetings, hard core education, and the ability to see just what and who is being successful, ITEX is an event you must have on your calendar.”
Visit itexshow.com for more information.
