A Prominent Strategic Consulting Group Serving the Information Technology Industry & Wall Street Communities: Global Touch, Inc.

“We are a catalyst for our clients’ success and vision.”

The consulting industry is vast with no simple way to provide a snapshot of expertise and capabilities. There is clearly overlap among firms, but there are often small nuances separating even the most successful. In the IT industry, with more than 80% of the top IT leader’s global revenue earned through indirect channels or partners, expert channel consulting expertise to scale revenues are a must. This is a unique talent where few truly have the mastery to consult in a way that helps create sustainable revenue growth through partners. This is the sweet spot of the 2019 Strategic Consulting Group of the Year, Global Touch, Inc.^®

Global Touch^®, headquartered in Berkeley, California, has built a multi-decade business and respected industry reputation by helping its clients around the world achieve success through conventional and creative partnerships, while helping them navigate unparalleled market dynamics and changes.

Today, Global Touch acts as a catalyst for its clients’ growth by steering clients from being solely product-led to market-led leaders. Whether working on behalf of established companies, with proven track records of success, or fresh pioneers with raw ideas, Global Touch drives its clients to rethink what’s possible, build next generation capabilities and innovation, and transform small ideas into big market opportunities for and through partners.

It serves both the information technology industry and the investment communities, all under one key common denominator: building sustainable revenue growth through partners. Global Touch’s differentiation is anchored in its longstanding foundation of helping clients stay ahead of disruptive market trends by leveraging insights, research, extensive contacts, strategies and services that only a seasoned channel savvy organization can deliver.

In Conversation with Denise Sangster, CEO of Global Touch, Inc.

Q. Why was the company set up? How did you select the vertical and decide to be a part of the global platform?

I was working for a database company that was acquired by Microsoft. At that point I decided to set up a consulting practice, initially focusing on my prior (database) distribution customers in Europe and Asia. Our early focus was to diversify these distributors IT vendor sales lines and create local market strategies and road maps on par with their rivals in the US market. We then extended services to IT vendors looking for partners around the world who could provide a range of sales, support or professional services, and solution capabilities to customers. The third phase extended services to corporate customers examining their IT vendor strategies and multi-country partner initiatives. Like any business, change is what fuels success. This is the lifeblood of our business.

Q. What were the grounds on which you have expanded your company and its offerings over the years?

One word: transformation. Because of our clients varied geographic coverage, continual changes in technology, and the growth of the digital economy, we continue to expand our capabilities and presence to deliver services that address emerging and transformational market opportunities. This means we must continue to grow our competence that simultaneously captures global trends without losing our local touch. We do this by looking at macro- and micro-economic trends, benchmark current performance, and overlay these results with best practices and the most profitable partners to stay ahead of disruptive market trends.

Q. What challenges did you face in your initial years? What can your peers learn from it?

An American female-led business operating globally was at times a challenge. I had one of the top IT leaders in Europe take me by the hand and tell me the European IT market did not need an American lady to help European business. Being a tall red-head and former college athlete in two sports (swimming and rowing), this did not deter me. Instead, I kept at it by demonstrating extensive industry and street knowledge from partners and customers, cultural understanding, a strong knowledge of the client’s business, and pragmatic plans for achieving results. Two years later, he told me he was wrong.

From the start, I have never sugar coated any recommendations, but always provided options for success. This pragmatic approach won clients over more times than not, especially when they know we have done our homework. This approach helped me develop a reputation with management and in the Board Room.

Q. What is your action plan for the success of companies?

Every client project is unique and requires a fresh approach. We work from the perspective of clients’ partners and customers to find solutions that can impact revenue and customer success. Our general approach is to start with a conversation around “what ifs” and “what then”. Next, we create a customized approach to fit the personality of our clients’ business, while meeting their needs, challenges, and requirements across categories such as products, services, customers, partners, and geographies.

Q. Where do you see your company a couple of years from now?

This is a crystal ball question! We are always looking to add value to our customers’ success through new services, changing capabilities, and staying ahead of market transitions. As the digital and cloud economy continues to emerge and evolve, the key to a thriving business focused on partner generated revenue is learning how to rethink what’s possible around products and services, while aligning the intersection between partners and the benefits achieved from the products and services for customers. Whether it is a cloud technology developer in the Silicon Valley or a technology partner in Australia, Singapore or Sweden, our clients can rely on us to build capabilities and resilience to stay on the cutting edge of transformation.

Denise Sangster, CEO of Global Touch, Inc.

For over 25 years, Denise Sangster has advised the world’s most innovative technology companies, Wall Street analysts, and investors, always helping and inspiring them to understand the market, develop profitable and sustainable channels and partnerships, productive and sticky customers, and cutting-edge disruptive innovation. Through her numerous global engagements, she is constantly reminded of the uniqueness and importance of each client’s project. Global Touch delivers the required outcomes through a combination of frontline knowledge, customer and partner research, and insightful analysis to accelerate client’s time to sustainable results. Denise has also tried to keep Global Touch’s mission simple: build winning strategies, partnerships, and solutions that provide actionable business outcomes, ROI, and step-ahead results.

“We focus on finding, expanding, diversifying and accelerating revenue streams while steering clients from product-led to market-led leaders.”

Global Touch, Inc.

www.globaltouch.com

Email: globaltouch@globaltouch.com

Tel: +1 510 237 5500