Resellers are ideally placed to become specialised experts and advisors for both end-users and vendors.
Through close collaboration with, and a unique insight into, end customers, resellers can feed innovation and product development from the bottom up right through to the vendor. Not only does this increase the level of customer trust, but channelling this feedback correctly enables resellers to be seen as truly valued partners.
But, who is actually teaching who? Should resellers see their role as a teacher and guide to end-customers or are customers teaching the resellers, and in turn the vendors? In truth it’s a mutually beneficial cycle through which everyone is teaching each other.
So how can resellers manage this process effectively? There are three recommendations that resellers can adopt in order to maximise end-user feedback.
Firstly, resellers should look to set up Client Advisory Boards (CABs) for customers to discuss gaps in the market and future needs.
Resellers can then feedback to vendors, who are able to adapt their products and services to meet these needs. If vendors and resellers work together and provide strong services, end-users will continue to come back. Because of this, having regular feedback sessions are vital to help keeping the conversation flowing. If resellers are not doing this, how else will they know what their customers are looking for?
Secondly, resellers need to consider product management. By taking products to customers, they are able to hear first-hand end-user feedback and recommendations. When visiting customers they can also see if they are using products from other competitive vendors, question why and report that back to the vendor, which is able to rework their product or amend their service offering to meet the end-users’ needs.
Finally, running joint events with resellers demonstrates to end-users that vendors are confident in the market, can be seen as trusted and showcases their expertise. Resellers should closely align themselves to the customer, not only to talk about the products and features needed, but also to talk about security policy and gain a better understanding of what the customer is looking to achieve. This will help take the conversation further, assisting resellers to understand the real needs of their end-users, for example the need to “connect” their security tools and products, to have them all working in harmony.
The positioning of resellers within the channel structure means that they are the key in innovating product sets and services. By creating CABs, visiting their customers and running joint events, resellers are able to listen to end-users and feedback to vendors on what the market is demanding and looking for from their solutions.
Feedback is important in order to understand the needs of the market, so by channelling that information directly into the business, resellers can not only build trust with their customer base, but also become a more valued partner to the vendor.
Ashish Patel is regional director at Stonesoft, a McAfee Group Company
