The scene in Annapolis, Maryland in late September, where the 2nd annual HughesNet® Summit took place, was a lively one. Drawing more than 100 top HughesNet dealers, sales agents, and other attendees, the Summit was all about networking, learning, and sharing ideas.
During three days of packed sessions, topics covered the gamut—from trends in the marketplace, to new programs and promotions to drive business, to sales training. A highlight was planning for Hughes’ next-generation, 100 Gbps satellite, JUPITER™, which will be launched in the first half of 2012 and deliver HughesNet high-speed broadband service to between 1.5 and 2 million subscribers. Technology is constantly changing the way people communicate, and many of the event’s training sessions focused on getting the most out of 21st century marketing tools and strategies, including using text messaging, blogs, and various social media tools to reach customers and prospects.
The Importance of Resellers
“The HughesNet Summit is partly our way of saying thank you to our top resellers around the country for their success in selling HughesNet, and partly an opportunity to get to know them better and make sure we’re giving them the best tools and support possible to ensure their future success,” said Allen McCabe, vice president of North America Channel Sales for Hughes. “Resellers are an integral part of the HughesNet sales network, and we can only be successful if they are successful.”
Indeed, resellers represent more than half of the bourgeoning HughesNet business, which is now running at more than 15,000 new subscriptions per month and recently crossed the 620,000 subscriber mark in North America.
Why HughesNet is the Reseller’s Choice
Sprinkled throughout the sessions were the “17 Reasons to Sell HughesNet,” which reminded resellers why riding the tide with HughesNet creates such an important opportunity for business success. Presentations outlined the best sales training and channel support in the industry, which helped earn Hughes an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, and described the latest tools available for customers to flexibly manage their HughesNet bandwidth, including Download Zone, Download Manager, Restore Tokens, and Download Bank. One of the best received announcements was about the new $49.99 initial service plan, available nationwide.
Attendees’ feedback was positive across the board—the venue, the many opportunities for networking with other dealers and sales agents, the new promotions and programs, and the fun activities, including a tour of the U.S. Naval Academy, a fishing expedition, and an Annapolis Harbor dinner cruise.
In the words of Gene Goodhue of Basic Communications from Grand Rapids, Michigan, “It was truly exciting to experience the Hughes team’s positive response to our comments and ideas. I am now completely confident moving forward, armed with all the new tools and offerings the Hughes team has given us.”
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