A Busy Two Weeks for SSCS (Part 1)

Attending smaller conferences and forums is an important part of our industry outreach. Here’s the first part of a two-part series explaining why.

This has been an active couple of weeks for SSCS. A trio of interesting, informative, and important conferences popped up on our schedule, each of which we had the pleasure to attend.

These events weren’t the large trade shows around which national and regional segments of the industry coalesce. They were smaller, more intimate (because they were invitation only), and sponsored by a specific company. Events like this provide a chance for the sponsor to get together with partners, vendors, and a small but influential subset of customers for networking and other purposes. They’re important for us. We’ll summarize each over the next few days.

Verifone Client Forum (May 15–18; St. Pete Beach, Florida)

Verifone is POS systems provider that is a long-standing partner of SSCS. We develop interfaces that transmit sales data between their point-of-sale technology and our back office systems.

This forum gives Verifone an opportunity to receive feedback and input on their products from those with whom they partner with on a regular basis. Verifone, in turn, gets to present attendees a road map for where their products are headed: enhancements to existing products, new technology platforms that may be on the horizon, etc.

Those that attend—a select group of end users, authorized personnel that sell and service Verifone products, and other key partners like us—are afforded the opportunity to share information and ideas with each other. It’s an informal setting, which makes it a perfect way to meet new people and forge connections of benefit to the businesses of all connected parties.

Gatherings like these tend to be future-focused. Content and conversation almost inevitably turn to what’s coming down the road and how participants can position themselves to succeed in the face of rapidly developing market dynamics. A presentation our representative found particularly impactful provided insight on the online retail sales boom and how it affects the convenience store.

In addition to having a small booth, SSCS was a silver sponsor of the forum, which meant we had the pleasure of hosting a table at one of the forum luncheons. This allowed for a personal avenue on which we could talk to the partners we depend on every day, while conversing with current customers and prospects. It was a great experience, as these events usually are for us.

Tomorrow: Click here for a recounting of the Gilbarco Customer Forum and a pair of Circle K retailer conferences.