HOW TO Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) Value Added Resellers (VARs) There are many reasons for IT or Executive leader to partner with a VAR: Assistance with designing customized IT solutions Virtualization and Disaster Recovery planning Better pricing and access to incentives Cost-effective support and monitoring without in-house resource overhead Now that the time has come to choose a VAR, where should you begin? This guide provides some guidelines for choosing the technology partner that is the right for your company. HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 1 Industry Specialization Does the VAR specialize in your industry? Many VARs choose to deal with specific vertical markets because their application knowledge and skill sets mesh with certain industry niches. Choosing a VAR that has experience with companies like yours is important because you want to work with someone familiar with your industry and the challenges that you face. Additionally, the VAR can provide their perspective on industry trends and examples of how other companies are solving the IT challenges you are facing. Choose a VAR that: Is familiar with your industry Understands the challenges you face Is knowledgeable of industry trends Can explain how others are solving IT challenges HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 2 Service Specialization Does the VAR specialize in the services you require? It is important that you choose a VAR that has experience with the services you require. If you are thinking of migrating your small business to the cloud, you should focus your search on VARs that specialize in cloud-based solutions and migrations. A VAR with a lot of experience setting up onpremise solutions and data center services for enterprise companies may not be a good fit. Choose a VAR that: Specializes in the services you need Has certified technical resources Has experience with the projects like yours HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 3 Product / Manufacturer Agnostic Does the VAR sell and support products from multiple manufacturers? This is a very important factor in evaluating a VAR. Ideally, you want to choose a VAR that is flexible and creative with their solutions, which means that they should not be locked into a single manufacturer or product line. The best VARs are able to sell and support products from several different product manufacturers. Choose a VAR that: Offers creative and flexible solutions Is able to sell products from multiple manufacturers Can support your environment no matter what type of equipment is installed HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 4 Location, Location, Location Does the VAR have a local presence? A VAR with a presence close to your company headquarters is invaluable. Not only is it helpful to conduct business face-to-face, but also it helps keep support costs down and response times shorter. Also, a local technology partner can have someone on-site in a matter of hours in case of emergency. Choose a VAR that: Has a local presence Is available for on-site meetings Is active in your community HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 5 Where To Look Where can I find a VAR? Now that you know what to look for, you need to know where to look. A good first step is to talk to your existing IT staff members, if you have them. Chances are they know some local VARs, if not by reputation then because they know someone who works for them. You can also ask your network of industry contacts if they have experience with local VARs – good or bad. Lastly, you can check product manufacturer websites for local partners. For example, Microsoft and Symantec have excellent partner locators. Start by: Asking your IT staff Networking with your industry contacts Researching manufacturer partner websites HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 6 How To Choose How do I choose a VAR? Treat the VAR selection process as you would an interview. Set up a time to speak with the VAR’s sales manager, either in person or by phone. Consider:  How easy are they to reach? How responsive are they? Ask the VAR to provide references and success stories from companies in your industry, and then follow up with the references. Ask the VAR to provide a low-cost, high-level assessment of your IT environment. Consider:  Do the VAR’s recommendations align with your company’s goals?  Does the VAR seem sensitive to your timeline and budget constraints?  Do you feel comfortable with the VAR’s skill level, industry knowledge, and product and service offerings? HOW TO: Choose a Value Added Reseller (VAR) | 7 JCMR Technology, Inc. About JCMR Technology Consistent, Quality Delivery Every Time – No Excuses At JCMR Technology, we have a mantra: Consistent Quality Delivery, Every Time, NO EXCUSES. Our top priority is to ensure that our clients have the appropriate technology to support their specific business needs and are relieved of unnecessary worry about their Information Technology operations. We know how important it is to remain focused on primary business objectives, and Information Technology is ours. JCMR Technology allows our clients to focus on driving their business while we focus on their internal infrastructure. Our Professional Services team and our extensive experience with Tier 1 manufacturers enables our clients to consolidate and simplify their IT organization. Contact JCMR Technology, Inc. 5950 Fairview Road, Ste. 140 Charlotte, NC 28210 Phone: 704.707.3333 Email: [email protected] Online: www.JCMR.net Subscribe to Our Blog: http://Blog.JCMR.net © Copyright 2014 JCMR Technology, Inc. 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