In part one of this two-part series, we looked at finding the right solution and now in the second half we focus on what needs to be in place specifically for resellers. When the future of your business is dependent on the technology and partners you chose, what is going to make a difference to your own operation?
1. Own the customer
“Agency” contracting arrangements remove you from the value-chain. You work hard to build relationships and trust with customers, so much so that the value customers see is integral to your brand. Any solutions should be part of the proposition and solutions eco-system that you build, and how customers see you.
2. Predictable revenues and future investment
Do you understand exactly what the costs will be, can you communicate these effectively with your customer, and predict future costs for you and them? However your customer chooses to deploy a CX solution, they need predictability and financial control, along with complete transparency of future investment responsibility.
You also need to be sure that your vendor partner has a long term investment plan for their solution set – enabling you to sell the benefits to your customers now, and demonstrate a roadmap to meet changing future market and individual needs.
3. Platform differentiation – within your service wrap
Your customers need to see the value from your proposition, not a conduit to a vendor. How you differentiate your proposition will dictate what level of integration you want from a CX provider; from application links to share data as part of a full UPaaS deployment, through to you having a role in delivering cloud deployment, and even marketing and messaging alignment through white-label propositions.
4. Stability
Look at the financial security of potential suppliers. As an integral part of your customer proposition, their stability, independence, and experience will have a direct bearing on your business plan for years to come. Demand a supplier with a strong balance sheet, diversified income, independent outlook, and technology expertise in complimentary areas.
5. High margin earning
The right technical solution, at the right price point, with the right flexibility, is essential for customer adoption. You also need to know that the model rewards you at point of sale and continuously into the future. Your strategy for your customers’ needs to be a proven earning opportunity and align to your own business planning.
At Maintel we are seeking conversations with interested partners who want to develop their own CX practices, own their customer contractual and billing relationships, and want something different in their armouries. Building on 25 years of technology development, we will be holding a series of briefings to selected prospective partners – contact the Partner Services team for further details.
