Day three of RSPA Inspire shifted the education focus to future-proofing your business (click here for recaps of day one and day two).
Morning Session 1
Future-proofing your business. Strategies for building long-term value.
- Full disclosure: I moderated this panel, and while I could share the questions with you, I couldn’t take notes on how the panelists responded. Perhaps I’ll get a recording (if one exists) and write a stand-alone recap at a later date. However, here are notes from the group discussion that took place after our panel left the stage:
- Help customers any way possible. We even help them manage their subscriptions for software we don’t provide. By taking something off their plate and making their lives easier, it creates a stickier relationship.
- We joined a peer group as a way to level up our leadership skills and become better at addressing our customer needs.
- Offer services that keep customers safe. Phishing simulation tools are a great add-on security service.
- Offer more services to create a stickier relationship.
- Being an IT solutions provider is like windsurfing. You need to keep making little movements to remain standing. Always be adjusting to the needs of your customers and new solutions available to you.
- Offer your customers analytics, both predictive and performative.
- “How are we future-proofing our businesses? It’s with Jim Roddy and the team at RSPA. This room is stronger together by collaborating, sharing knowledge, and knowing who our real competitors are. We left the RSPA five years ago and decided to come back because of the people in this room. If we keep getting bigger and stronger and we keep collaborating, we will protect our businesses long-term. If groups like this stop, then we’re going to let those big VC companies win. Future-proof your business by being part of the RSPA.” – Ryan Black from Retail Systems
Morning Session 2
Innovative value-added messaging for success.
- “Our customers are great at selling groceries, they’re great at making hamburgers, they’re great at selling things. They’re leaning on us to do what we do well, and I think sometimes we get so excited that we try giving them everything, and we overwhelm them with information.” – Blake Gillum, president of DCR
- we try to go back to the traditional selling points of, know your customer, know your product, know your industry. But then take the time to ask the right questions, listen, really ask those open-ended questions, find out what’s important in that particular merchant or that particular potential partner, and really hone your message in on that. A one size fits all, message just doesn’t work anymore.” – Blake Gillum, president of DCR
- “And I think that’s especially a trap we would have to be careful of going forward is we’re going to be using more and more technology to help us craft those messages. The large language models (LLMs) and the tools that we have will have more and more disposal are going to give us sort of an aggregate answer. So, it’s going to be up to us to use those tools, but then make sure that we add our personal little flavor or human touch to that.” – Carl Boutet, chief strategist of Studio RX
- “We take the time to learn about what that customer’s business is, what their needs are. We may find something they think they need that they don’t need, and I may unsell something just because I don’t feel that, based on processes, workflows, where they’re at today and their business model, that may or may not work for them. So, we do take that time, and we were talking about it this morning. We interview our customers. We sit down and we talk to them and have these constant interviews with our customers. What do you need today from us? What you need today may change in six months. So, let’s stay in front of you. We want you to know we’re here. We’re your technology consultant.” – Jim Stewart, sales manager, POS.com
- “We use ‘trusted advisor’ in our marketing because that’s the emotional connection to the customer. You can trust us. And we prove it day in and day out. The other thing we talk about, and we did this through our association with MSPs, is we use the phrase ‘business continuity.’ That term speaks to the business aspect and the mindset of customers and owners and general managers. We talk to them on their level about what is important to their business.” – Tim Shein, president of King Business Systems
- “Become a part of your customers’ communities and ecosystems to build trust in your ability and show that you care about what matters to them. Be involved. Be more than just their solution provider. It’s difficult from an ROI perspective, but you become a known partner in their ecosystem. This will give you a leg up in knowing their pain points and issues.” – Blake Gillum, president of DCR
- ‘We provide test technology for our customers. For example, a customer may come to us and say that they want to do table side ordering. Okay, why do you want to do table side ordering? Because the 1-800-company told me we should do it. Okay, let me give this technology to you. We’re going to come in, we’re going to train you how to use it. Let’s see if it works into your processes and workflows. You have a lot of people that have been with you for 10, 20, 30 years and have a lot of influence in your restaurant. You may get yourself in a situation where you’ve purchased all this equipment, committed to a technology that your employees won’t accept. So we’ll sit down and we’ll do that. And people say, well, you’re taking a loss. No, we’re not because we’re building that long term lifetime value of a customer. That’s what it’s all about, right? I’d rather have a $80,000 over a period of time from one customer than have to run around and find 100 customers that make me a fraction of that. And you’re able to build that rapport with that customer by doing that.” – Jim Stewart, sales manager, POS.com
The above quotes are just a handful of the many pages of notes I took during the four hours of panels and table discussions. Attending thought leadership events like RSPA Inspire is not just a reason to expense a vacation. It is a strategic investment in the education, networking, and personal growth of IT solutions providers. The three days spent at this meeting provided invaluable insights, fostered meaningful connections, and challenged IT leaders to think differently.
For VARs and ISVs looking to grow their businesses and enhance their leadership capabilities, RSPA Inspire is an opportunity that should not be missed. If you missed this event, I highly encourage you to save the date for next year’s (February 1-4, 2026, at The Royal Sonesta Kaua’I Resort).
