We’re digging into the latest hot topics, news articles, and water cooler discussions, so you don’t have to!

• ProMat 2023

#VARValue - Any takeaways from these stories relevant to the channel?

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Beetles absorbing water...through their butts? and Free pizza for TSwift tix

John - Marvel Snap mobile game

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Zebra Sell & Win Club

Elo Edge Connect

Over 40% of people prefer ordering from a kiosk, a growing trend accelerated by COVID but has persisted due to labor shortages, convenience, and generational preferences. This week, Epson’s David Vander Dussen & Josh Stanphill return to the pod to explain the self-service trend, what it means as consumer return to stores, and where opportunities lie for VARs. How does self-service affect label printing needs? What does “experiential” retail mean to our guests? What trends are they watching next?

#VARValue - What is Epson doing differently to meet these new needs in retail and hospitality?

Referenced Articles:

Restaurant Consumer Insights

Delaget 2022 QSR Operational Index

Making the Case for Kiosks

TEConnecting with us:

David - Self-driving AI lawnmower

Josh - Café Specialty coffee maker & Companion dog-babysitting robot

Dean - SpaceX Superheavy Starship (recorded one day before it exploded)

John - Apple Savings Account

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Epson OmniLink m30III Receipt Printer

Elo Wallaby Pro

Zebra Future-Proofing Retailers eBook

There are quite a few steps between food & beverage manufacturing and what we ultimately consume, and those steps are filled with the need for technology to manage processes, meet delivery demands, and grow brand recognition for companies large and small. This week, CIS Group’s Julie Desroches joins us to share her experience in F&B that’s informed her expertise in software solutions for the industry. What’s changed in distribution over the years, and what challenges do companies face to get their products onto store shelves? How do technologies like route planning, mobile POS, and communications help SMB businesses? What does Julie think will change the industry next?

#VARValue - What advice do you have for VARs looking to grow their business with F&B?

TEConnecting with us:

Julie - Her clients

Dean - Classic "Bigfoot" footage stabilized with AI

John - Alphabet layoffs affecting robotics

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Zebra ZT Industrial Printers

Elo I-Series 4

We’re not shy to talk about the importance of effective marketing to build your brand and illustrate your value-add to current and potential customers, but don’t just take it from us! This week, we brought in a panel of experts from around the channel to weigh in: Elo CMO John Lamb, Barcoding VP of Marketing Jody Costa, and 42Gears’ Director of Channel Marketing Jean Secrist. Why do they think marketing is important? What tips do they have for VARs & ISVs working on a budget or with minimal staff? What trends are they following, and what’s the benefit of working within our channel?

#VARValue - When defining what industries or target markets to focus on, what are the top sources of information you use to make educated decisions?

Check out Elo's 70-Series Touchmonitors!

TEConnecting with us:

Jean - NCAA brackets & sports tech

John Lamb - 5G devices

Jody - ChatSpot

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Zebra Media & Supplies

Elo Edge Connect

“That’s an American thing.” Trends and tech adoption can differ in the US from the rest of the world, so we thought we’d explore that in the retail industry. We’re joined by two members of the BlueStar EU team, Richard Austin & Jord Malcorps, who start by sharing some things they find very different about the states. On the retail side, we discuss how businesses juggle tech needs in-store and online. Is omnichannel table stakes at this point? Why has Europe been more open to payment flexibility? It’s the episode that’s not sure it can fit in the garage, but you’ll hear us coming down the road!

#VARValue - Any other trends or predictions from the Lightspeed article or your own insights that can help retail-focused VARs this year?

Retail Predictions & Trends 2023 - Lightspeed

TEConnecting with us:

Richard - Amusing out-of-office responses

Jord - Crypto & blockchain payments

Dean - Most Loved & Hated Brands

John - Solid metal ball at Earth's core

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Elo POS Solutions

Zebra Printing Portfolio

It started with a simple request from Jody Costa to ChatGPT: “What questions should I ask the BlueStar TEConnect podcast?” The results are a baseline for our pod, industry, and our thoughts on the channel, so we thought we’d answer them! What led us to start the pod, and what have we learned? What are our thoughts on diversity & inclusion in the tech industry? What emerging tech are we watching? It’s the episode that’s got new digs but the same goofballs on the mic.

#VARValue - Could you share some of your favorite resources for staying up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the reseller channel? 

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - Why the floppy disk won't die

John - How bees are affected by climate change

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Zebra ZD Desktop Printers

Elo Wallaby Pro

To bring additional value to VARs & ISVs, we’ve conducted multiple surveys for our BlueStar Nation blog with end users in various industries to gain insights into how they use technology and where opportunities might lie. In this episode, we explore two surveys, starting with artificial intelligence. Who’s using it and why? What do businesses think would need to change to incorporate AI? Next, we tackle restaurant point-of-sale insights. How long are systems in use? What are the most popular POS? What do owners like most and least? What other tech are they using? We’ve got the receipts to help you win business!

#VARValue - What else would you add for VARs to take from these surveys?

AI Survey

Restaurant POS Survey

TEConnecting with us:

Dean - New Dictionary.com words

John - A 4th traffic light color?

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Subscribe to the BlueStar Nation Newsletter - https://nation.bluestarinc.com/#subscribe 

Sponsored by:

Elo Large Format Displays

Zebra Mobile Computing Portfolio

The sales and sales management landscape constantly changes, but it’s always a good time to reevaluate your prospecting and client management approach. Terry Miller, President of V-KATA, is here to explain what he sees from his time selling in the channel. Where does he see stagnation occurring? What are salespeople doing right and wrong? How did good leaders pivot during the pandemic? What is poor CRM management doing to the sales process, and how are Terry and V-KATA trying to fix it? It’s the podcast that would like a few minutes of your time.

#VARValue - What’s your advice to VARs in sales management themselves, or maybe someone who thinks their management could use the kind of shakeup you’ve described? 

TEConnecting with us:

Terry - Gong.io and V3 Stent

Dean - The world's new most popular cuisine

John - Vocal fatigue sensor

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Follow BlueStar on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-star/

Sponsored by:

Zebra ET Tablets

Elo Restaurant/QSR Solutions

VARs know that point-of-sale hardware and software is not a “copy & paste” proposition. Every retailer or restaurant has differing needs or industry-specific concerns, yet cheap or “free” POS providers will suggest that any setup will do. Auto-Star’s Josh Wintoniak joins us this week to dispel that myth and help explain how to talk to end-users, why back-of-the-house is an essential part of the conversation, and what types of retailers benefit from specialized POS systems. It’s the episode that can’t help you unlock your car but will entertain you while you wait.

#VARValue - Let’s talk hardware for a moment. Some selectivity and business-specific needs should be considered there, too, right?

Webinar w/Josh - Affordable Grocery Self-Service for Retail VARs

TEConnecting with us:

Josh - ChatGPT

Dean - Spotify's AI DJ & why shooting down balloons is making scientists nervous

John - Twitter & Meta "verified"

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Sponsored by:

Elo E-Series 2 POS

Zebra Barcode Scanner Portfolio

Unless you’ve been on a severe information detox, you’ve probably seen more than a few stories recently about AI and various tools for content creation. Not ones to miss a trend, we asked Barcoding’s Jody Costa to return to the pod to weigh in. She shares her experience with ChatGPT and similar programs, whether AI will impact marketing jobs and the positives and negatives of using them in our business. It’s the episode that still feels pretty good about its job security.

#VARValue - Beyond marketing & advertising, in what other ways can AI tools be used by VARs to improve their business? 

Referenced articles & further reading:

BlueStar Nation - Creating Ads for Your Business Using AI

ChatGPT Sees Strong Early Adoption - Fishbowl

Google Unveils Bard - CNET

Eden Bidani post - LinkedIn

OpenAI is Using Media Websites to Train ChatGPT - Moguldom

The Prompt Box is a Minefield - The Convivial Society

Marketing AI Institute

TEConnecting with us:

Jody - Jurassic Park & evolution

Dean - Subscription Trash

John - Accidental James Webb Discovery

Talk to us!

Twitter - @TEConnectPod

Email - [email protected]

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

Sponsored by:

Zebra TC53/58 Touch Computers

Elo 70 Series