FC Member Blog

Computer Reseller Tips for Selling High-Margin Services

BY Joshua Feinberg | 12-07-2008 | 9:37 PM

This blog is written by a member of our blogging community and expresses that member's views alone.

New computer reseller? Attract more great clients, increase your client base, and build your business with proven tips for computer resellers.

Many technology consultants decide to add being a computer reseller to their list of client solutions. This can help give consultants control over the total solution and solve very complex business problems.
But if you want to be a computer reseller who is profitable and successful at catering to the needs of your small business clients, you will need to pay attention to many different responsibilities besides just those related to products. How can you make sure you are balancing your function as a computer reseller with your job to solve bigger small business problems through technology?

The following 4 tips can help you manage all the responsibilities that go along with being a successful computer reseller and consultant in the small business market.

Coordinate Telecommunications and Internet Solutions. With your small business clients, you will probably need to coordinate your own technology support and product installation with the local telephone company or Internet service provider. You will need to research which types of connections are needed and how they will work together to facilitate a sophisticated network.
Test, Test, Test. As part of delivering a complete, soup-to-nuts IT solution, your computer reseller firm should get involved in vertical industry-niched applications. You may bring the vertical applications in, but your clients might also ask you to test the application before they make a major investment. This way, you'll control application selection and be able to coordinate application selection with other products you recommend, sell or purchase for them. You will also have to evaluate how vertical applications fit in with your clients’ networks.
Be Prepared to Train the Guru … or the Masses. Even if you think training won’t be a part of your duties as a computer reseller or you don’t want to do it, you will inevitably have to be involved at some point. Sometimes you will have to conduct formal end-user training where you take small groups aside and show new users an application or a new piece of hardware. Other times, you will have to help the internal guru through informal training. Training the internal guru can often help train others on routine technology matters – i.e., lost toolbar or taskbar recovery, simple troubleshooting – so you can free up time to help with more complicated issues that more easily cost-justify your high hourly billing rates.
Expect Disaster. Another responsibility you will have to take on with small businesses is disaster recovery planning. You will have to check out the data backup system, the antivirus software, the power protection and the security. You will also need to develop a proactive maintenance plan for your clients.

Your biggest value to your clients, even if you decide to be a computer reseller alongside other services, is in your problem solving and strategic planning. In order to build a strong company, you need to make selling complete small business solutions a priority over just reselling products.

In this short article we discussed 4 tips to help you manage all the responsibilities that go along with being a successful computer reseller and consultant in the small business market. Learn more about how you can get great, steady, high-paying clients as a computer reseller now at http://www.ComputerResellerTips.com

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