Going Beyond the Virtual: Meeting Customers Face-to-Face

Conferences, Conventions and Expos are great events to interact with customers - both existing and potential. Last week I had the pleasure to attend Layered Technologies second annual "LT PACT" and two weeks ago I attended Microsoft's TechEd. While the events were different in many ways they were similar in several. Both events were sponsored by companies that appreciate their customers and the need to build a deep multi-level relationships with them.

Much of the work in our industry is done virtually and we do not have a chance to meet many of the hundreds or thousands of customers that purchase or resell our products. As my blog focuses on customers, and interviewing them on the phone, being able to meet many of them has been a great source of information and inspiration. Intermedia had a booth at TechEd and dozens, if not, more customers walked up and chatted about our services. Direct, interactive and person-to-person feedback is great.

When a reseller, developer, or a hosting company executive attends these events they are also able to quickly see, learn about, and consider the trends that are changing our industry. From my first hosting related industry trade show in Fall 2000 – "Internet World" – to these last two, I have always left each one with a sense of "what is hot". In our industry, "what is hot" is primarily driven by the vendors, developers, customers and sometimes outside influences, like government regulations.

At Microsoft's TechEd we left with a sense that SharePoint, virtualization, Silverlight, CRM and mobility were the hot concepts. For example, many of the SharePoint sessions were standing room only and at TechEd that means hundreds or more people attending a session. As for Intermedia, we were able to get a better sense of what developers, Exchange admins and more SharePoint users and designers are working on and thinking about. All this feedback translates back to new features and a clear road ahead.

At Layered Technologies' event we left with a sense that they are a great company, with great customers who are all at the forefront of new technologies that are causing a paradigm shift in hosting services. The concept of grid computing and virtual data centers is leading the way forward. Layered Technologies "Client Centric" approach was demonstrated by the event's focus on helping their clients learn and grow their businesses.

Connecting with your customers is valuable on so many levels and being able to connect in person is why events like TechEd and LT PACT are more than worth the time spent there.