D&H Distributing, a major provider of SMB, mid-market, and consumer technologies to the North American channel, announces it has launched its new Technology Solutions program, an upgraded expansion of the company’s pre-sales support offering. The program leverages a state-of-the-art, dual-purpose training and demo facility at the D&H headquarters in Harrisburg, Pa. A select group of SMB VARs are now privy to a roster of vendor-supported training in this facility, including both live, hands-on offerings and virtual opportunities. These VARs can build proof-of-concept solutions using market-leading equipment in areas such as ProAV, esports, and videoconferencing. VARs can also use the facility to hold their own training events or end-customer demos. Lab events can be attended live and/or broadcast simultaneously to off-site locations.
To support this program, D&H’s Solutions Lab recently installed a 24-foot-wide, 6′ x 2′ razor bezel tile display videowall to showcase the “ProAV Experience,” designed to effectively manage high bandwidth/high resolution signals, with an eight-input-by-eight-output UHD signal matrix switcher at its core. This videowall installation will serve as a demo model for solution providers. It was deployed with ample support from D&H vendor partner Gefen, which helped supply a robust signal distribution matrix to match its high-performance Phase 1 solution design.
Two years in the making, the program offers one of the most advanced technical Modern Solutions ProAV training venues available for resellers. The Technology Solutions program was created to allow D&H’s architects and technicians to comprehensively interact with resellers. The goal is to empower them with hands-on experience in these complex and still-evolving areas; for instance, enabling them to outfit the new hybrid work and learning environments that are becoming so prevalent in the business community. The Lab can help resellers looking to tackle advanced deployments like esports videogaming arenas, high-end commercial digital signage, and SOC or SIEM data centers.
The program will offer three tiers for partners: the Explore, Empower, and Enable levels.
- Explore: D&H’s Solutions Experts will provide recommendations on how to proceed with complicated projects in areas such as ProAV and collaboration. This tier is for entry-level D&H partners.
- Empower: Partners who do a certain level of business with D&H will have access to the distributor’s certified engineers and subject matter experts for guidance on impending installations. Partners will be able to schedule time in the upgraded lab with D&H’s technicians to build large-scale infrastructure projects, live on-site.
- Enable: Trainings are hosted by D&H sales engineers on behalf of the distributor’s vendor partners. The Technology Solutions team will reach out to eligible customers on a quarterly basis to engage them in training opportunities, including in conjunction with D&H’s THREAD technology events.
A series of vendors have already committed to providing resources and content for the Technology Solutions program, including Black Box, Buffalo, CyberPower, Dell, HPE, HPI, Intel, LG, Logitech, Microsoft OEM, MSI Systems, NETGEAR, Samsung Electronics SSD, Sharp NEC, Ubiquiti, and Zyxel. D&H continues to have discussions with additional manufacturer partners about the program.
“The Technology Solutions program allows a growing number of partners to have live experiences with technologies they may not otherwise have the opportunity to trial in the field. Some of these solutions are still new and evolving, and with the speed that technology advances, their functionality changes frequently,” said Jeff Hunt, sales engineer manager at D&H Distributing, in a press statement. “Our market is transforming so quickly that it’s difficult for resellers to keep up with the developments that drive it. At D&H’s newly-outfitted Solutions Lab, they can test proof-of-concept and deliver on installations like large-format displays or major hybrid collaboration projects, giving them greater confidence and experience with these in-demand categories.”
The Technology Solutions program has initially engaged a select group of resellers, mostly in the SMB sector, and will continue to grow both in scope and in the number of partners who are involved in the program.
Partners can visit www.dandh.com/solutionslab or www.dandh.com/technicalsolutions for information.
