The Benefits Of Being A Total Solutions Provider, Especially During A Slow Economy

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Length: 11 min, 38 sec

Excerpts from Business Solutions exclusive interview with Dean Crotty, president of reseller North Country Business Products with Jim Roddy, president of Business Solutions

BSM: This is a topic that is really near and dear to Business Solutions. We’ve been encouraging resellers to do this for many, many years. Our articles showcase resellers who sell complementary technologies and sell total solutions inside vertical markets. One reseller who is embracing this trend is our guest today. Dean Crotty is the president of North Country Business Products which serves customers in five states. There are some resellers who start off being hardware “box movers” and not being that total solution provider. Do you have an example of a customer who you’ve been able to maintain during this tough economic time because you’ve been a total solution provider?

Crotty: I would be very concerned how long you could keep a customer if you didn’t provide the total solution. Today, the revenue stream that comes after the sale is really essential with any of the customers we have in good times and in bad. But in the softer sales times, having that maintenance revenue base and that revenue stream consistently coming in is just a big boost. If you’re just a “box mover,” what you have to sell is the hardware and you don’t have that recurring revenue. The way that we do business is to sell it, install it, and continue to work with that customer – sell a maintenance contract – so we have a consistent revenue stream coming in. And that’s good for the customer, too. The customer understands under a contract what their costs are, and they won’t wait before they call a service tech.

BSM: How does a reseller who wants to get more of those service contracts, who wants to become more of a total solution provider – what’s the first couple steps they have to take?

Crotty: The first thing you would want to do is research what all is involved to get trained on servicing the products you sell today. What certifications do you need? What parts inventories might be required? What would be the cost of being trained by the vendor. You have to understand that.

Also, you have to go to the customer and say what are some of the pain points that they have and what are they paying for their service that they’re getting today, and are they happy with what their service provider’s bringing them today? And then what is the potential revenue stream.

Once you’ve looked at all those things, the next thing you have to do is, if you decided you want to move forward, then you’ve got to look internally at your software, if it will handle the service side of your organization. Then you’ll be on your way to training techs and getting going.

This is only a portion of this exclusive interview. For the complete podcast, go to above media player.