I recently spoke with three industry experts about the topic of cloud/off-site backups. I asked them about the most common mistakes MSPs make with regard to selling and implementing this kind of solution/service. Here is what they’re seeing as well as some tips they shared.
CURRENT ISSUE
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Don’t Settle For Managed Services MediocrityNot only is this MSP bucking the trend with 70% of its customers on a flat-fee managed services plan, it’s also projecting 29% revenue growth this year.
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Small VAR Goes Big-Time With Mobile POS
Chris Pace helped a pal who owns a coffee shop set up mobile POS. Next thing he knew, he was a POS VAR. Congruity Solutions is now the go-to provider of mobile POS for more than a dozen shops in Phoenix.
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Bar Code Scanner Project Leads To Ongoing Healthcare Sales
If you’re a VAR that sells any type of solution that includes bar code scanners, you’re probably never surprised by the multitudes of inventory control and trackand- trace applications — no matter how unusual they are. But unless you’re focused on the healthcare vertical and, in particular, the medical devices used in surgical procedures, developing a solution to track “parts” like replacement knees and hips may seem … well, odd.
- POS, Marketing Combo Drives Repeat Business
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- 3 Prerequisites For Managed Services Success
PRODUCT REVIEWS
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Rugged 4-Inch Mobile Label Printers Product Review - Table Of ContentsA value-added reseller (VAR) evaluates three 4-inch mobile label printers and shares the pros and cons of each.
PREMIUM CONTENT
Balancing Service Delivery & Delivering Sales
Resellers are constantly trying to find the right balance of driving higher quality delivery of services and increasing sales. It's a slippery slope and it’s hard to justify investing more time in the selling effort perhaps at the expense of customer service. It’s not that Solution Providers don’t value the role of sales in the overall business process, it’s just not the average resellers sweet spot. Rather, resellers are more typically aligned with the product and technology function and see it being way more constructive to invest their time in development and integration – plus, its just more fun. So, in effect, key partners are looking to reduce the amount to time spent selling and need more time in the day for service delivery.
IP Surveillance and VoIP: Is History Repeating Itself?
As IP-based surveillance systems continue to gain ground, we can’t help but be reminded of the challenges IP telephony – or VoIP – faced 10 years ago.
IP Video For Mom & Pop Retailers
IP video used to only make sense for mid- to large-sized surveillance systems [32 cameras or more]. But today smaller systems – and budgets – can reap big benefits with IP video. This is thanks to the continued decreasing cost of IP technology coupled with different storage and migration options of today. Here are a few ways to make the most of the system.
6 Common Lies About IP Video Surveillance
One of the factors holding backing the adoption rate of IP video surveillance is a lack of understanding by IT integrators. Much has changed in the video surveillance world, so without all the facts, IT integrators will be unable to make sound decisions regarding this technology.
How To Convince Your Customers To Choose IP Cameras Over Analog
As IP surveillance technology becomes more affordable, it’s also becoming a more attractive solution for smaller installations – installations that used to be the sole domain of analog product. But how do you convince your customers to upgrade their analog to IP, preferably before an incident forces their hand? There are three primary selling points for an IP system of an Analog system – higher resolution, more in-depth analytics, and the ease of new network configuration.
Beginner’s Guide To Selecting A VMS
Selecting a VMS can seem to be a daunting task – every software suite has their own strengths and weaknesses, often obscured in spec sheets multiple pages long. While some of these features may seem inconsequential, there are four features that are worth the effort to track down if you want to create a long lasting surveillance solution.
City College Of San Francisco Prints Student IDs In One-Sixth The Time
As one of the largest community colleges in the country, City College provides a quality, affordable education option for the Bay Area. To better compete with other area colleges and universities, the college has initiated a number of upgrades to its internal IT infrastructure. In the admissions office, that meant improving the process of issuing student identification cards. Before, producing each card took a minute-and-a-half. Across 100,000 students, that time made for frustrating waits for students and exhausting days for staff during peak times.
Storage And Virtualization Solution Offers Portland Non-Profit Law Firm Expandable Network Capacity
Metropolitan Public Defender (MPD) is a private, non profit law firm committed to providing high-quality criminal defense for indigent clients. Handling more than 17,000 criminal cases per year, Metropolitan Public Defender is a non-profit law firm that is nationally recognised for its leadership in the public defense community, its training programs, and the guidance, supervision and support of its attorneys. The company was looking to replace its outdated servers to increase speed, disk capacity, and provide reliable network data storage at its main office in Portland, OR.
SPECIAL REPORTS
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| Thousands of VARs, MSPs, and ISVs rate their vendor partners on 7 key criteria. Which vendors rated the best? |
Vendors share how their partner programs can help VARs, MSPs, and ISVs grow their businesses. |
The go-to resource to help VARs and integrators to successfully sell IP-based access control & video surveillance technologies. |
FEATURED SUPPLIERS
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LabTech SoftwareWhether you’re an experienced IT managed services provider (MSP) or an hourly rate one-man shop, LabTech can help you significantly improve your operational productivity and efficiency by leveraging the power of IT automation. LabTech’s functionality can take care of any repetitive IT maintenance task or process, monitor mission critical network components and automatically run auto-remediation programs, and so much more! At LabTech Software we proudly say, “If you can think of an IT task, LabTech can automate it!”
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Datto Inc.Datto Inc. is an award-winning vendor of backup, disaster recovery (BDR) and intelligent business continuity solutions, providing best-in-class technology and support to its 5,000+ channel Partners throughout North America and Europe. Datto is the only hybrid-cloud BDR vendor that provides instant on- and off-site virtualization of servers and workstations, achieved through its Inverse Chain Technology.
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Axis CommunicationsAxis is an IT company offering network video solutions for professional installations. The company is the global market leader in network video, driving the ongoing shift from analog to digital video surveillance. Axis products and solutions focus on security surveillance and remote monitoring, and are based on innovative, open technology platforms.
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Autotask CorporationAutotask Corporation provides the world's leading hosted IT Business Management software built specifically for VARs, MSPs, and other technology solution providers to help them run their businesses better.
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APG Cash Drawer, LLCFor more than 30 years, APG Cash Drawer has been designing and delivering cash drawers with a variety of size, color, interface, and integration options. An APG cash drawer will provide years of smooth, trouble free service with virtually no downtime, no service required, and no headaches. Our cash drawers are so well constructed and so reliable that our customers install them and forget them - even in the most demanding environments.
LATEST HEADLINES
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FEATURED PRODUCTS
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LabTech Remote Monitoring And ManagementFrom one-man break-fix shops to established managed service providers (MSPs), any business can benefit from the automation capabilities incorporated into the LabTech RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) platform.
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KineticCloud Backup For OutlookKineticCloud Backup is an end-to-end data protection solution for small and medium businesses. It doesn't only backup your data automatically and reliably, it also gives you the power to share and access it securely.
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NetPRO® Ethernet Interface For Cash DrawersConnect your iPad or Mobile Device to APG's Ethernet Cash Drawer Need a cash drawer to connect to your mobile application? APG's NetPRO is an ideal solution! In verticals such as gas stations, C-stores, quick service food and more, the Ethernet cash drawer communicates with mobile POS devices for normal drawer operation. This dynamic network device has a time and date stamp with every transaction, improving loss prevention functions by providing security camera activation, mobile alerts to store management for unusual events, remote tech support, asset management and much more.
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Managed Hosting Solutions: Colocation We took colocation and made it infinitely better. By better we mean you no longer have to take on everything—including the capital expenses—just to keep control of your OS. -
Motorola MC75 3G Worldwide Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA) No matter what your workers need to get the job done, Motorola's MC75 Worldwide Enterprise Digital Assistant delivers by combining an unparalleled number of business capabilities into an easy-to-carry rugged device. 3.5G GSM HSDPA and 3G CDMA-EVDO Rev A support provides high performance voice and data services around the globe. -
Zebra HC100 Wristband PrinterZebra’s HC100 printer was developed to maximize ease of use. There’s minimal training required. Just pop the easy-to-load cartridges containing Zebra’s Z-Band® wristbands into the printer—and print individual wristbands.
ABOUT BUSINESS SOLUTIONS
Welcome to BSMinfo, the online presence of Business Solutions magazine. If you are a value-added reseller (VAR), systems integrator, managed services provider (MSP), or independent software vendor (ISV), this is the site for you! Whether here online or in each month's issue of the magazine, we strive to deliver actionable information you can use to add complementary technologies to your portfolio and penetrate thriving vertical markets.
Technologies and topics typically covered include data collection/supply chain, point of sale (POS), payment processing, video surveillance and access control, voice over IP (VoIP), networking, storage, managed services, network security, the cloud, mobile computing, and enterprise content management (ECM). From a market perspective, our articles focus on government, retail, hospitality, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, education, legal, banking, and anywhere else solutions providers can find new revenue streams.
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