Green Light: Full Event Review
Opening to over 350 reseller delegates on 2nd December at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole, Green Light once again raised the bar as the industry’s premier event. 80 exhibitors including headline sponsors ExaClair, ACCO and Fellowes showcased new products and latest innovations at the exhibition to help resellers kick start plans for 2017.
VOW’s Immersive Experience walkthrough stand took centre stage in the exhibition area with its showroom-style layout that featured reception, washroom, kitchen, office, meeting room and classroom environments with products relevant to each area.
Some of the product highlights from the exhibition include:
- The premium boutique range of Rhodia books by ExaClair
- New additions to the Guildhall filing range aimed at the legal and professional sectors
- New Iderama products such as document wallets, lever arch files, elasticated ring binders and multipart files
- New style of Europa notebooks that can be sold to customers across different sectors including retail and education.
- The new Fellowes range of “sit stand” solutions and new ergonomic products
- The new Polaroid Play 3D Pen that is only commercially available from February 2017
- ACCO’s speedy Fusion Laminators
- AF International’s technology cleaning products and preview of its new look brand
- Range of bright staplers and environmentally friendly products from Rapesco
- Rexel’s ActiVita wellbeing range and auto feed shredders
- Keurig coffee brewer machines
The event opened with a business update from VOW’s MD Adrian Butler that discussed the ‘Value of Wholesale’, how the industry can counteract threats from players such as Amazon, latest market trends and growth areas, VOW’s performance and new product strategy and how resellers can take advantage of the strong working partnership with VOW. The morning’s keynote speakers Anthony Stears, ‘The Telephone Assassin’, Geoff Ramm, ‘Celebrity Service’ and Ruth Marshall-Johnson from The Future Laboratory delivered informative and engaging sessions to get delegates thinking about different ways to transform their businesses. Anthony got delegates thinking about how they can approach sales calls differently and in particular, understanding and overcoming their biggest sales challenges. Geoff Ramm delivered a session about offering a “celebrity service” to stand out from the crowd, a takeaway that stayed with and was positively echoed by reseller delegates at various points during the day.
Focus sessions in the afternoon included a session by leading expert Matt Trimmer on how resellers can transform their Google Analytics and AdWords, a session by ACCO’s Strategic Account Manager Charlie Wallis on workplace wellbeing and how this presents new business and revenue opportunities and an immediate memory transformation session by David Thomas, who is known for having one of the world’s most powerful memories. ‘The Telephone Assassin’ Anthony Stears also conducted an additional focus session for delegates looking to learn more about transforming their sales calls and VOW’s Technology Category Director Gilly Blackburn held an exclusive focus session for HP attended partners.
The Green Light Gala Awards ceremony was held in the evening and saw the introduction of new supplier award categories. Winners on the night were announced as follows:
Supplier of the Year
Brother
Supplier Account Manager of the Year
Helen Wade, Fellowes
Product of the Year
Bi-Silque Ultrabrite Boards
Stand of the Show
Pukka Pads
Diamond Venture Partner
Commercial -1st place
ACS – 2nd place
Nectere 3rd place
Gold Venture Partner
L & S Office Supplies – 1st place
William West – 2nd place
Chariot Office Supplies – 3rd place
Red Venture Partner
Inkost – 1st place
Emphasis Group -2nd place
Principal Office Supplies 3rd place
Best Newcomer
Ian Smiths – winner
Ireland Newcomer
Elwood
FS Reseller of the Year
Commercial – Winner
Technology Reseller of the Year
Moorside Office – Winner
Furniture Reseller of the Year
Compleat – Winner
The Awards were jointly presented by VOW’s Channel Director Nikki Todd and VOW’s National Sales Director Martin Weedall. The entertainment at the black tie gala dinner was provided by ‘David Brent’, Ricky Gervais lookalike Tim Oliver.
VOW’s Commercial and Marketing Director, Heather McManus, who was also the host and compère for the event, said, “I am very proud of the VOW team who have once again raised the bar at Green Light to make this an integral part of the industry’s event calendar. Feedback received on the day has told us that the theme of ‘Transformation is Now’, the exciting array of new products at the exhibition, the content and agenda of the day etc has all helped kick start plans for 2017 and equip our reseller delegates with valuable ideas.”
“Thank you to all who attended and supported Green Light to make this another memorable VOW event.”