value added reseller (var) check-up: brand loyal vs. brainwashed (slides)

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Value Added Reseller

(VAR) Check-Up:

Brand Loyal vs.

Brainwashed

Courtesy of the

Small Business Computer Consulting Blog

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Depending on the

Business Model,

Geographic

Location,

Company Size,

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Vertical

Specialization

(or Lack thereof),

and Core Skill Sets,

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A Value Added

Reseller,

Over Time,

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Gravitates Towards

Certain Vendors,

Channel Programs,

Platforms,

and Products

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How a VAR

Chooses to

Partner with a

Particular Vendor

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Is Described on

More a Continuum

of Anywhere from

Brand Loyal to

Brainwashed

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Multi-Vendor

Options vs.

One-Size-Fits-All

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“Is it OK for VARs to

Offer Competing

Software products?”

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Advice on How to

Decide Which of the

Two Competing

Products Should be

Offered to Clients:

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Reminder: A Value

Added Reseller

Must Add “Value”

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Reselling Products

and Commoditized

Services Isn’t Really

Sufficient Added

Value

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VARs Learn Very

Quickly That One

Single Platform

Does Not Fit All

Clients

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Be Open to

Working with

Multiple, Competing

Products

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It’s All about

Choices that Meet

Each Client’s

Unique Needs

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A Value Added

Reseller Must:

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• Avoid Putting all

of its Eggs in

One Basket

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• Be Able to

Select from

Among Multiple

Vendors

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Being a VAR

Should Mean

“More Choices” to

Cater to Clients’

Unique Needs

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Fulfill Different

Customers’ Wants,

Needs,

Expectations,

Brand Loyalties,

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And Budgets,

Among Other

Factors

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How Many

Different CRM

Choices Are

Enough?

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A Value Added

Reseller Must Offer

Choice, Which

Would Mean at

Least 2 Choices

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Resell

Substantially More

than Two Different

CRM Platforms?

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Depends on How

Many Employees

and Contractors to

Add to the Mix, at

What Stages,

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And with Which

Skill Sets that

Each Team

Member Would

Bring to the Table

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Steer Clear of

Exclusive

Agreements that

Block Client

Choices

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Adhere to the

Type of Agreement

Signed with Each

Vendor,

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Whether it is

Exclusive or

Nonexclusive

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Ensure that

Available Choices

Take into Account

Clients’ Budgets,

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Existing

Platforms, and

Required Features

and Functionality

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The Bottom Line

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Value Added

Reseller Allegiance

Can be Anywhere

from Brand Loyal

to Brainwashed

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It’s Recommended,

that a VAR Keep its

Options Open, to

Best Satisfy its

Clients’ Needs

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How Loyal is Your

Company to

Certain Brands?

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Has Being

Too Loyal

Ever Cost You

Clients?

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And How Does a

Value Added

Reseller Decide if

Two CRM Choices

are Sufficient?

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Please Share

Your Thoughts in

the Comments

Section Below

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