Revenue streams are shifting for technology resellers. Hardware margins are getting snug, and the increase in flexible cloud-based programs means more retailers can – and do – use their own devices. It’s getting tough to rely on hardware sales alone to keep your business thriving.
Many VARs, VSRs, and POS resellers are finding the magic formula for growth involves adding service and support alongside traditional hardware and software sales. It’s a model that works out well for Vend Experts – whereas ten years ago many found their revenue primarily came from hardware sales, today they’re relying on service and support to help them grow.
This is our first in our new Partner Success blog series. Check in every week for great tips, tricks, and the latest industry news. Have questions about our partner program or want to share content? Just email partners@vendhq.com.
Another piece in the puzzle
Retailers are looking for different solutions than they were in the past. They’re more likely to be researching their own options – but the sheer number of possibilities and the time involved in implementation means many are still turning to experts to take care of everything for them.
How many of your customers are calling you back again and again for help installing software, designing systems, and connecting to the cloud? They already consider you the expert – from here it’s just a small step to position your company as their go-to solution provider, whatever their problem is.
Opportunities for service
Education
You’ve probably already been educating your current customers about their options, but is it a cornerstone of your business strategy? The plethora of options on the market provides an opportunity for savvy VARs, VSRs, POS resellers, and IT experts to position themselves as the first place their customers turn to get information.
Use your website, your email newsletter, and in-person interactions to help your customers make educated decisions and highlight new technologies in your portfolio that can benefit them.
Multichannel integration
Retailers and shoppers are increasingly flexible, seamlessly doing business online, on mobile devices, and in stores. In the same vein, more retailers are using tablets and phones to make sales at events, pop-up stores, tradeshows, and other temporary locations.
To keep everything going, retailers need to link online catalogs to brick-and-mortar stores, and manage stock across their many channels. The opportunities for you to position your company for growth here are fantastic.
Cloud-based Solutions
The great thing about cloud-based solutions is that they’re as flexible as today’s retailers – along with offering a very attractive price point. Become your customers’ source for cloud-based solutions – both in software sales, and in providing technologies and services such as servers, storage, and data networking. You’ll find a great opportunity here to offer ongoing packages.
Training
Offer staff training and supporting materials to make sure your customers are taking full advantage of the solutions you’re providing them. Build training and support into packages, which you can bundle with hardware sales; you’re not just “selling and forgetting”, you’re establishing an ongoing relationship with customers.
Offering package pricing
The channel is incredibly dynamic these days, which is why it makes sense for your business model to be just as nimble. The huge advantage of the models above is that they allow you to establish a consulting relationship with your customers.
Rather than selling a package once, you can offer a full menu of options from one-time setup to an ongoing service subscription. Consider a subscription pricing model to support long-term customers – it’s a model many software companies are already embracing.
Many independent software vendors and distributors, like Vend, are providing training and support to help you position yourself with your clients. Talk to your distributors about how they can help your business grow today.
Beef up your service offerings with Vend
When you take advantage of Vend’s tools and become a certified Expert, you’ll receive training for you and your staff, and gain in-depth knowledge of Vend implementations, hardware setup, and add-ons. Our program is designed for people whose businesses are built around providing hands-on services and support to clients.
Ready to start growing your reseller business? Become a Vend Expert reseller and add the world’s most powerful cloud POS to your portfolio. Learn more today.
About Tara Benedict
A former retailer (and unabashed nerd) who daydreamed about integrated POS software, Tara now delightedly recruits, promotes, and enables Vend's wonderful channel of add-ons and partners. An ardent sharer of Vend news and events, connect with Tara on Twitter, LinkedIn or Google+ and never miss an opportunity to meet up with the affable Vend team.
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