The Competitive Edge
About The Competitive Edge
The Competitive Edge is AIM North America’s monthly, quick-read e-newsletter. Our purpose, as the title suggests, is to help you maintain your competitive edge and grow your business by putting you in touch with key information. Inside you’ll find highlights on current reseller, integrator, distributor, or manufacturer issues and market trends (a feature titled Headline AIM), along with member-specific news and information. As good as The Competitive Edge is, we’re open to new ways of making it even better, so your comments and suggestions are welcomed.
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AIM NA Welcomes Three Executives to Board of Directors
The AIM NA Board of Directors welcomed three new executives. The new members are: Peter M. Collins, Founder and President, A2B Tracking Solutions; Stephen G. Cuntz, President and CEO, BlueStar; and Charles Evanhoe, President, Evanhoe & Associates, Inc.
“These individuals bring a wealth of experience and innovative thinking to the Board as it works to strengthen and advance the automatic identification and mobility sales channel in North America,” said A. Tee Migliori, President, AIM North America.
AIM North America recognizes outgoing Board members: Michelle Kabele, Channel Marketing Manager, Zebra Technologies; Michael Lowry, President, Lowry Computer Products; and David Stewart, President, AMTSystems for their contributions.
For a complete listing of the 2008 AIM North America Board, visit http://www.aim-na.org/board.php.
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Not a member? For the cost of a mere cup of coffee per day, your company can access information and cutting-edge solutions to grow your business. Resellers, integrators, software developers, distributors, and manufacturers are provided marketing tools, resources to generate leads, and educational opportunities with the goal of increasing sales and maximizing profits. Improve your competitive edge with membership in AIM North America.
AIM North America – Be in the know.
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Headline AIM—The Millennials: Considered Generation Next
by Shel Myeroff, President, Direct Recruiters, Inc.
Considered to be one of the most unique generations that our country has ever seen, the Millennial Generation (a.k.a. Generation Y) is now entering the workforce and they’re considered a hot commodity. They are well-educated, optimistic, talented, open-minded, achievement oriented, and technologically savvy. However, they have one simple work philosophy: It’s all about me. So whether you are resellers, system integrators, manufacturers, or distributors, get ready because this wave will affect you. To help you better prepare for the Millennial’s arrival at your workplace, this article is the first of a 3-part series providing information on how to coexist with a generation labeled as one to watch.
AIM NA Members: Login to learn how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Direct Recruiters, Inc., Human Capital Resource Specialists since 1983, focuses on Supply Chain, AIDC, RFID, and Mobile Enterprise. Top industry companies rely on DRI to help build solid teams in Sales, Sales Management, Marketing, Engineering, and Technical Support. For more information, contact Shel Myeroff, President, 31300 Solon Road, Ste #4, Solon, Ohio 44139, 440-248-3370 x103, e-mail: shel@directrecruiters.com, and www.directrecruiters.com.
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Channel Bytes—Not Your Standard Marketing Mix
By Michelle Kabele, Zebra Technologies
Not too long ago, a postcard mailing or a telemarketing campaign may have raked in sales. While those techniques can still serve specific functions, we’re in a whole new world, marketing-wise. Product placement has taken over large chunks of the television ad budget. Companies are sponsoring major events — and even the stadiums where they take place. With texting, email, ezines, AdWords, and other media supplanting traditional ad venues, you’ve got more to think about when planning your marketing mix.
AIM NA Members: Login to learn how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity.
Michelle Kabele leads the teams responsible for managing Zebra Technologies’ innovative and highly successful channel marketing and product marketing strategies. She currently serves on the AIM NA board of directors and membership committee, and has an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management (Evanston, Ill.) and an undergraduate degree from Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). For further information, Michelle can be reached at Mkabele@zebra.com.
The tools and products listed in this article are for reference purposes only and should be not taken as an endorsement.
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Become a Channel Champion Using Resources from the JS Group
An Evolution Revolution
AIM North America has partnered with The JS Group to help you become a channel champion. A knowledge leader. A business innovator. Establish a new standard of business benchmarks and best practices. Deploy sales, marketing and leadership insight and coaching for SHARPER intelligence, SMARTER processes and FASTER time-to-market. The JS Group has created a business evolution revolution and if you're up to the challenge, we can help generate 75X ROI on program investments as well as high-level execution that inspires vision and transforms core competencies into clear competitive leverage. Members can login and find out why thousands of high-tech professionals continue to ... JOIN THE EVOLUTION.
Just another way, AIM North America is working for YOU!
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New Members
Interlink Technologies
Join Date: 12/27/2007
Since 1986 Interlink has specialized in WMS solutions and offers WHSe-LINK® software to support all warehousing activities. WHSe-LINK® integrates smoothly with other business systems. Learn more.
Horizons, Inc.
Join Date: 1/4/2008
Horizons manufactures materials and manufacturing systems used to produce extremely durable bar code labels. Horizons works with OEM`s who need to be able to produce durable labels on site. Learn more.
For a complete list of AIM North America Members, visit http://www.aim-na.org/memberlist.php or to join, visit http://www.aim-na.org/membership.php.
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Recent AIM RFP Postings
- We are interested in the technology and capability as described in NineSigma Request, RFP# 30502-09, "Low-cost, High-temperature Data Tracking Device for Fuser Rolls." We are looking for a party with a potential to respond to, or act as a contact who might know of someone with expertise in, technology to record on a fuser roll various data that describes the roll over its life cycle.
- We need to detect the presence of one person using a RFTag (or similar) and send that information to control center, and when the person is out of detection range, the control center should be informed.
- We’re working for a Road Administration in a unit called Traffic Technology and are thinking about implementing the RFID-technology in our business.
- Building content asset management system for large California government agency - wireless bar code data collection terminals & asset management software package. Considering migration to RFID for some assets as Phase 2.
For complete details and how to respond to these and other recent RFPs, members can login .
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Members in the News
Avery Dennison RFID and Mühlbauer AG License Agreement Facilitates Custom Inlay Manufacturer by Label Converters, Data Collection Online, December 27, 2007. Learn more.
Metalcraft Partners with ADASA for Mobile RFID Encoding, Tagging. MoreRFID, December 21, 2007. Learn more.
ID Integration Announces New Website. Learn more.
Intermec Names David Jones as Vice President and General Manager, Global Services. Learn more.
Synnex Corporation Honored with the "Best Federal Channel Strategy.”. Learn more.
BlueStar Named Motorola's North American Enterprise Mobility Distributor of the Year. Learn more.
Opportunities Abound for Passive RFID. Texas Instruments RFID, Business Solutions, December 2007. Learn more.
The Only Constant is Change: Managing Business Growth. Zebra Technologies, Business Solutions, December 2007. Learn more.
Have a news item you’d like to share? Submit your news release to AIM NA and we’ll feature it on the AIM NA website as well as in a future issue of The Competitive Edge.
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AIM Events
Webinar: Unique Device Identification – The Next Big Auto ID Opportunity
February 6, 2008
11:00-12:00 EST
Web Conference – Registration Required
AIM Members Attend Free!
More than 600 medical device recalls are issued each year in the United States, and today hospitals are using antiquated manual and incomplete systems to identify patients affected by these recalls. As a result of the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA), the stage has been set for the development and implementation of a unique identification system for medical devices. Such a system would help hospitals:
- Conduct efficient recalls
- Prevent patient errors by ensuring that the right device is available to the right patient at the right time
- Improve adverse event reporting
- Harness the power of health IT
Join AIM Global and Jay Crowley, Senior Device Management Manager for the FDA for a discussion about the potential of UDI from several standpoints. Learn about why the FDA is interested in UDI, the issues facing device manufacturers, the role the different automatic identification technologies will play, and the international perspective.
AIM members attend free of charge – register here.
Non-member registration is $79.95 – register here.
Early registration is now available
—Save 15%—
Whether you’re a manufacturer, reseller, integrator, software developer, or distributor, the AIM Technology Leadership Summit is the one industry event you won’t want to miss.
This one-day executive-level meeting is filled with educational content from all facets of the automatic identification marketplace and exclusive executive networking. The main conference day is surrounded before and after with networking events and association activities that provide additional value for your attendance dollar.
For complete details, visit http://www.aimglobal.org/events/TLS08/index.htm.
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Industry Events
Submit your events to AIM NA. Include your contact information, event name, dates, location, and website.
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THE FINE PRINT
This e-newsletter is brought to you by the
AIM North America
125 Warrendale-Bayne Road, Suite 100, Warrendale, PA 15086 USA
Phone: +1 724 934 5688 ● http://www.aim-na.org
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