TEConnect Podcast

Modernizing Municipalities w/DACRA Tech’s Tami Wanless

“Modernizing [government]…I know that seems like an oxymoron,” says DACRA Tech’s COO Tami Wanless. She joins the pod this week to talk about how technology can make a difference in local governments. What are local officials dealing with daily, and what’s slowing down modernization efforts? What’s her advice for VARs that don’t want to tackle government opportunities? What’s DACRA’s approach to modernization? It’s the episode that’s letting you off with a warning but don’t ignore this sector again!

 

#VARValue - Is there any low-hanging fruit to help communities modernize that our VARs should be focusing on as an easy way to introduce solutions? 

 

TEConnecting with us:

Tami - Optimizing squad car "real estate" and barcode scanners

Dean - New data transmission record set

John - Is Facebook done with news?

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

 

Sponsored by:

Elo Wallaby Pro

Zebra ZD Desktop Printers

The New VAR’s Guide to the Channel

When one of our new listeners asked us what we would do differently and where would we focus our energies if we were starting all over again in the reseller channel, we put ourselves in the shoes of a newbie. What is the value proposition of a VAR over direct sales? How has the channel changed since Dean was on the VAR side? What have some of our actual VAR partners said they would do differently? Where do we recommend new VARs focus their time and energy? Finally, we’ll share a bit about how BlueStar helps and some personal advice.

 

Thanks to Danny Cedano at DBK Concepts for suggesting this topic!

 

#VARValue - Even if you’re an established veteran in the industry, why is it important to think like a newbie or consider what you’d do if you started over again?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Most popular days to work in the office and AI imagines "living" buildings

John - Combustible poop

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topic ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

 

Sponsored by:

Elo Restaurant/QSR Solutions

Zebra RFID eBook

TEC Bytes 8: More Than We Can Chew

Get ready for the holidays with some hot topics and interesting stories in science, tech, business, and pop culture that you can share. 

• Pro-China fake eco-warriors
• 7 global megatrends shaping the world
• Quantum internet
• 2022 airport satisfaction survey
• State of the restaurant industry
• What is “Dad Brain”?
• Taylor Swift’s new album breaks records
• Brands are concerned about “genericide”

 

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - How to fire up the dance floor

John - The 12 deadliest viruses in history

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your TEC Bytes & topic suggestions: https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo POS Solutions

Zebra Managed Print Services

 

Analytics in Healthcare w/Ambient Clinical’s Tim Kuebelbeck

Healthcare organizations are still under tremendous pressure, battling costs, burnout, and labor challenges while still being expected to deliver quality care. Utilizing analytics and data in clinical decision support is an important first step to combating those issues. This week, Ambient Clinical Analytics’ Tim Kuebelbeck joins the pod to explain. What should clinicians be doing with the data they collect? What should they look for when selecting a support platform? How do VARs benefit? It’s the episode that thinks that healthcare should at least strive for a “C” on its report card!

 

#VARValue - Healthcare can be a tough industry to tackle for resellers. How can they position themselves as trusted partners to tackle big problems and offer truly useful solutions beyond basic hardware?

 

The Director's Guide to Improved Sepsis Detection & Compliance

 

TEConnecting with us:

Tim - (Not TEConnecting) Antiquated moving trucks

Dean - Is anyone actually in the Metaverse?

John - OceanGate tours to Titanic

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your ideas for the pod! - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo M50 Touch Computer

Zebra ET40/45 Tablets

The Labor Crisis with Honeywell’s Kelley Wood

A lot of think-pieces, LinkedIn posts, and hand-wringing have accompanied the shifting dynamic of labor and when/where/how (maybe even if) we work over the last few years. It’s being felt in nearly every industry, including those like supply chain, retail, and hospitality that our VARs sell to. This week, Honeywell’s Kelley Wood joins the show to discuss the labor crisis, break down where we are, why, and what might happen next. How does the generational divide fit in? How does technology impact expectations, job performance, and the ability of businesses to attract and retain quality employees? It’s the episode that’s always done it this way and doesn’t see a reason to change!

 

#VARValue - When pitching solutions designed to solve some labor issues, how do we ensure that we’re still being sensitive to the human element?

 

TEConnecting with us:

Kelley - Robotics in foodservice

Dean - Job perks wish list

John - Amazon scraps home delivery robots

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

 

Sponsored by:
Honeywell CT30 XP

Grocery Opportunities & Challenges w/Epson’s David Vander Dussen

Grocery stores are an essential service, but they’re not immune to the changing whims of consumers and the desire for convenient options and dynamic shopping experiences. The razor-thin margins they operate under can cause challenges to VARs hoping to pitch new technology, but Epson’s David Vander Dussen is back on the pod to emphasize the opportunities. Why are midsize & regional chains still seeing growth? How have grocers changed their offerings and workflow? Why is the demand for dynamic color labeling higher than ever? It’s the episode where we learn why Dean is banned from grocery shopping.

 

#VARValue - For VARs that work primarily with SMB grocer chains or local independents, what’s the pitch to implement tech like color labeling?

 

References: 

Why Grocery Chains are Outperforming Expectations Amid Inflation

FMI study: Private brands not just about price

How to Ramp Up Online Grocery—without Breaking the Bank

The State of Grocery in North America

 

TEConnecting with us:

David - World Cup Video Assistant Referee

Dean - The success of the DART mission and robotics companies commit to not weaponizing

John - New Apple devices might confuse rollercoaster for a car crash

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

 

Sponsored by:

Epson's New Mobilink Printers

Thermal Kitchen Printing w/Star Micronics’ John Maieli

We’re debunking some myths in this week’s episode…specifically, that commercial kitchens are no place for thermal printers. Star Micronics’ John Maieli, who has plenty of back-of-house experience, explains the importance of printers in the kitchen and why thermal is the best option. What’s the “state of the industry”? What’s the real difference between impact & thermal printing and why is the latter ideal for this use case? How should VARs respond to common misconceptions and pushback on these devices? It’s the episode where Dean busts out his “best” Super Mario impression.

 

#VARValue - How do you and Star advise VARs to approach existing and new customers about opting for thermal print in their operations?

 

Star Blog - Why Thermal Printers Have A Place In Today’s Modern Kitchens

 

TEConnecting with us:

John Maieli - 3D printing food

Dean - A future "AmAsia" supercontinent?

John Martin - Grammarly

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your podcast ideas - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

 

Sponsored by:

Star Micronics mPOP

The Store as a Medium w/VSBLTY’s Jay Hutton

In-store traffic is still vital to retail businesses, but simply getting them through the doors is not enough in a hyper-competitive market. That's where digital signage enabled with machine vision can change the game. Jay Hutton, Founder & CEO of VSBLTY, is on the pod this week to explain the growth potential of what they call “the store as a medium,” using dynamic, eye-catching displays to “entice, engage, and interact” with shoppers, ultimately driving more revenue and unplanned purchases. What data backs up this use case? What does it look like in-store? What do retailers get out of it? It’s the episode that’s dropping its vowels and going full Spielberg blockbuster.

 

#VARValue - How do VARs get in on this? What should they be looking for?

 

TEConnecting with us: 

Jay - The ethics of AI and "nano-nukes"

Dean - Ally Robotics

John - Invisibility cloak?

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your ideas for the pod - https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html

 

Sponsored by:

Intel - Check out TEConnect Live from VARTECH 2022

Zebra TC53/58 Touch Computers

Elo Large Format Displays

The Self-Service Tipping Point w/Elo’s Luke Wilwerding

“Identify a practical need and create a solution.” That’s a good mantra for any solution provider, but also the simple impetus behind the creation of self-service options in a variety of industries. Elo’s Luke Wilwerding is back on the pod to explore the early days of self-service through today. What slowed (and accelerated) adoption? What’s changed about form factors? How should VARs address concerns and misconceptions like installation issues, smaller purchases, and higher losses?

 

#VARValue - How does Elo help VARs bring self-service to SMB?

 

CNN Article - "Nobody likes self-checkout. Here's why it's everywhere."

 

TEConnecting with us:

Luke - James Webb telescope images

Dean (and Luke) - NASA DART mission

John - Why AI will never rule the world

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your topics for the show! https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo I-Series 4

Elo Edge Connect

VARTECH 2022 Recap

VARTECH 2022 is in the rearview, but what we learned there and what it means for our channel has just begun. Whether you attended and need a refresher or didn’t and want to know what happened, we’ve got you covered, from Opening Session to the CodeZone floor! What were the themes of the show? Who was the keynote speaker that brought tears to attendees' eyes? What is VAR 2.0 (and 3.0)? It’s the episode that condenses two exhausting days into an hour that’s much easier on your feet.

 

#VARValue - For VARs that didn’t attend, what did we learn that anyone can use?

 

VARTECH Event Highlights Video

US Breakout feat. CoCard's Dan Brattland

TEConnect Live feat. over 40 ISVs

 

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Modular nuclear plants

John - Chicago simulates eVTOL (sky taxis) flights & infrastructure

 

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - TEConnect@bluestarinc.com

Submit your ideas for the pod, surveys, marketing questions, etc...: https://www.bluestarinc.com/us-en/landing-pages/podcast-topics.html 

 

Sponsored by:

Elo M50 Mobile Touch Computer

Zebra WS50 Android Wearable Computer