Navigating Vendor Conferences: The Freedom of Choice

Picture this: a tech conference in Las Vegas—the neon lights, the slot machines, and the occasional Elvis impersonator. Imagine a vendor claiming exclusive rights to the city for a week. It’s like saying, “Sorry, other vendors, you can’t play in our sandbox, and you certainly can’t post about anyone else on social media this week.” But hold your horses, cowboy! Our economic policies frown upon monopolies. So, when someone cries foul about another vendor hosting a simultaneous conference, it’s like yelling at the sun for shining too brightly.

Cisco Live 2024 recently sizzled in sunny Las Vegas, where temperatures soared to a blistering 111°F. Amidst the heatwave, over 21,000 attendees flocked to the event, eager to immerse themselves in all things Cisco. Chuck Robbins, captain of the Cisco ship, took the stage and graciously acknowledged the crowd. “We [Cisco] are so grateful for you being here,” he declared, “we all know you [attendees] have a lot of opportunities to spend time in different places, and we are so grateful that you chose to spend this week with us!”

A little further north on the glittering Las Vegas Strip, Juniper Mist, with the audacity of a caffeinated squirrel, hosted its own #AINativeNow conference at the swanky Fontainebleau. They weren’t content with merely existing; they wanted to elbow their way into the spotlight. So, they plastered ads all over McCarran International Airport, hoping to catch the eye of unsuspecting travellers. In the weeks leading up to #AINativeNow, Juniper advertised their one-day conference to the world. They didn’t hesitate to strongly suggest that anyone who happened to be in Vegas that week take the opportunity to shake two hands in one trip.

So, let’s talk ethics. Competitors have been duking it out since the invention of the abacus. It’s the business equivalent of a gladiatorial arena, minus the lions (usually). But is there a line that shouldn’t be crossed? Is it etched in sand or granite? Let’s take a look:

1.    Airport Ambush: Strategically placing vendor marketing at the airport during a rival’s conference—bold move or low blow? Imagine Chuck Robbins sipping his coffee, glancing out the terminal window, and spotting a Juniper Mist billboard. Does he chuckle or shake his head? Maybe he reacts by covering the San Francisco airport with adds promoting Cisco AI. Either way, it’s a marketing skirmish worthy of a thumbs-up emoji.

2.    The Bus Bonanza: Contracting a bus company to shuttle attendees between conferences—ethical misstep or customer-centric brilliance? Imagine the bus driver’s spiel: “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the ‘Vendor Express.’ We’re enroute to Juniper’s shindig, but we’ll be making return trips to get you back in time to catch the Cisco Customer Appreciation (CAE) event with the unparalleled Sir Elton John. Buckle up and may the best AI win!” (Side note: Sir Elton John put on an exceptional performance, and kudos to Cisco for bringing Sir Elton’s magic to Cisco Live attendees!)

3.    Management Approval—the golden ticket to tech conferences. Some customers need it like a plant needs sunlight (or a developer needs Stack Overflow). If your boss gives you the nod for Cisco Live, great! But what if you’re in the throes of a network refresh? You’re like a kid in a candy store, eyeing all the shiny solutions. Juniper Mist beckons from across the street, waving its AI-powered lollipop. And Cisco? Well, it’s the granddaddy of candy stores. So, why not explore both during a single business trip? It’s fiscally responsible, like buying two-for-one tacos.

In the end, it’s a dance—a tango of ambition, wit, and a dash of shamelessness. Ethics? Well, that’s a tiny footnote in the grand business playbook. Steven Silbiger’s “The 10-Day MBA” has a chapter titled “Ethics”. Blink, and you’ll miss it as it’s the shortest chapter in the book. But hey, as long as the customers get a comfy bus ride, who’s complaining? Remember, whatever team you play for, we’re all just trying to catch the right bus to success.

Reality check: Customers aren’t monogamous. They’re swiping right on multiple vendors. It’s like a tech Tinder—swipe left for legacy systems, swipe right for bleeding-edge innovation. If you’re not evaluating more than one vendor, you’re missing out. It’s like going to a buffet and only eating the croutons. So, when attendees shuffle through the Vegas heat, they’re multitasking. Cisco Live? Check. Juniper Mist? Check. It’s like speed dating for large language models (LLMs). And let’s be honest, nobody wants to be the lonely vendor sitting in the corner, sipping their lukewarm coffee.

Let’s waltz with definitions. The official conference venue – sacred ground? Attendees and exhibitors sign the tech equivalent of a blood oath: “I shall comply with terms and conditions.” But outside those hallowed halls? Fair game. If vendors misrepresent themselves while sipping conference coffee during a session or waltzing around the Word of Solutions (WoS), they’ve crossed the ethical line. Imagine Chuck Robbins spotting a competitor rep in a Cisco-branded cape. Awkward? Yes. Ethical? Not so much.

WoS—the tech bazaar where Cisco partners strut their stuff and mingle like rival chefs at a food festival. Some serve networking management soufflés; others dish out AI sushi. It’s a flavour explosion. And yes, some competitors share the same kitchen. Some competing Cisco partners were initially placed across the aisle from each other. They were cordially separated because, in the tech world, frienemies are the spice of life, and customers are not interested in watching an anchorman-style showdown on the WoS floor… or are they…?

Customers aren’t naive. They’re not wide-eyed Bambis lost in the tech forest. They know their options. If they’re already jet-setting to Vegas, why not multitask? It’s like ordering a combo meal: “One Cisco Live, hold the monotony. And can I get a side of Juniper Mist insights?” Efficiency, my friends! Some need management approval (like a permission slip for grown-ups); for them, sticking to the approved conference is golden. But others? They’re like tech nomads, seeking wisdom from every vendor oasis. Meeting senior leaders, product wizards, and engineers—all in one trip? That’s like levelling up in the game of business.

The grand finale …

Imagine a digital gold rush. Companies are staking claims, shouting, “Eureka! We’ve struck AI, and it only took us four slides!” But here’s the twist: most are still figuring out how to smelt that gold into something valuable, investing $1B with the caveat that AI must be done ethically. They’ve got the buzzword bingo down pat, but the real magic? It’s like finding the right filter for your Instagram selfie—tricky.

As the curtain falls on our tech drama, let’s take a bow and reflect:

1.    Freedom of Choice: Customers wield the ultimate sceptre—the power to choose. They’re not bound by exclusive contracts or golden handcuffs (well, at least not if they have a decent legal team). Vegas isn’t a monopoly board; it’s a buffet. Want Cisco Live? Go for it. Craving Juniper Mist? Bon appétit with #AINativeNow! Individual companies don’t own the week; they’re just players in the cosmic casino.

2.    The AI Chorus: Ah, the symphony of buzzwords. Both conferences hummed the same tune: AI – “Humans meet your digital twins.” AI isn’t just a trend; it’s the secret sauce which will allow us to cook up smarter networks, smoother operations, and fewer coffee spills during late-night cutovers.

3.    Competition’s Dance: Competition isn’t a villain; it’s the muse of innovation. Weak competitors hide behind curtains, while strong ones strut their stuff. “Evaluate us,” they say, winking. Customers nod, like judges at a talent show. The winner? The one who wows, not the one who locks the stage door.

Or maybe—just maybe—they’ll let the chips fall where they may. Because in the end, it’s not about the cut of meat; it’s about who is eating from their own plate – using their own AI, integrated with their internal support teams.

Slàinte mhath!