A globally recognised SaaS company, Salesforce, has one of the most successful and well-recognised reseller programs on the planet, so if Salesforce is doing it, why are there not more tech companies following suit and saving costs on resources as well as research and development (R&D) costs?
This could be tied to the stigma and common myths that surrounds the unknown territory of becoming a reseller, and the benefits associated with it.
- Anyone can do it
So firstly, can anyone do it? Well, the short answer is yes, but most well-established tech companies want to make sure you are in good standing to be representing their products, as well as equipped to handle technical questions. For that reason, most reseller programmes require you to pass a certain level of understanding, and that often come with reseller support.
Let us take a look at Connex One, a Global tech company Head Quartered in the UK that provides a customer engagement platform through a secure, cloud-based omnichannel engine. As a software provider, Connex One offers various reseller agreements, with tailored training programs and 24/7 customer support. This ensures that their relationships with their resellers are always in good standing, making it easy for the reseller to focus on their existing products and customer relationships. Some resellers may choose to act as intermediaries or Value Added Resellers providing additional support and benefits. Depending on the level of involvement, or experience, there are additional models that fall under the “reseller” umbrella.
- Technology is continuously changing- you need to keep up
More companies are starting to realise the benefits of becoming a reseller. As technology is continuously changing, clients’ needs are adapting, making it easier for technology companies to partner and offer a one-stop-shop to retain customers. Reseller agreements allow for lower overhead costs, access to shared marketing funds and lowers continuous spend on R&D. This increases earning potential and the opportunity to gain a larger market presence.
- Gaining a Complete Support Network- for FREE
Technology providers offer free installation and onboarding, with a proven support structure already in place and additional on-demand training. Overall, the reseller model enables companies to offer a diverse range of products and services, creating expansion into other verticals, maintaining growth.
Leaders in the field such as Google, Microsoft Apple and IBM partner up with lead tech companies such as Computacenter, SoftwareONE, integrating the reseller model into their business to increase service offerings and profit margins.
The reseller model is proven to be a success, but why are some companies still hesitant?
- Combating the Myths
According to Laura Keay, Channel Partner Manager at Connex One, there are many myths surrounding the notion of becoming a reseller.
One- the biggest misconception is that you can’t sell the services as your own brand. This is not true. For many software companies out there such as Connex One, there is a white-label service for resellers to promote as their own service or offering.
The second biggest misconception is that the support structure is difficult and cumbersome. “The key is to find a well established IT/software provider who can offer the type of support your company requires. At Connex, the reseller has complete access to all of our support teams with additional dedicated partner support on hand”, says Laura.
Third, resellers don’t own their own customers. This is false. When signing up to the reseller agreement with Connex One, all clients remain the property of the reseller for the duration of the agreement.
- Staying in the Game
Remaining relevant, on top of your game, and offering the best customer support can be quite the juggle, so leave it up to the experts to help you diversify your game whilst staying connected to your customer base. Find a good reseller program that offers you the support you require.
For more information on how Connex One can help you own your own customer success story without having to hire expensive genius coders or the headache of commissioning your own proprietary system, Connex has the software for you. Get in touch with our team at hello@connexone.co.za or request a free demo of our platform here.
