Resellers Benefits and Case Example

Challenge

A multibillion dollar information technology reseller has a comprehensive offering of hardware, software, networking and accessories primarily targeting the business market. Their sales training, e-commerce and database infrastructure, business processes, and supply chain systems are laser-focused on being the preferred, value-priced, one-stop-shop for IT product buyers across North America.

Growing competition from Internet resellers and technology channels generates ever-increasing pressure on product margins, commoditizing the value in their core businesses and creating downward margin pressure in their core product businesses. At the same time, customers are progressively seeking a single vendor from whom they can purchase complete solutions including implementation and ongoing support.

Solution

• The reseller implemented iTeam's Service-as-a-Product (SaaP) turnkey approach and is now selling high margin packaged services for PCs, notebooks, servers, networking, printers, flat panels and projectors through its outbound sales and e-commerce website.
• The reseller's end user customers buy installation services directly over the internet and from the reseller's telephone salespeople. Both the customers and the salespeople use iTeam's on-line configurator to help selector the right service SKU for the product that they want to be installed. In addition, the salespeople have a direct access to iTeam's customer service engineers to help them tailor installation solutions when needed.
• iTeam Service Advisors and the iPlatform make scheduling and planning the service simple, fast and convenient for the customer. Customers are contacted within 24 hours of the time that they made the purchase, often on the same day. The average time to complete the installation is three business days.
• iTeam's Service Advisors and field technicians are providing professional and expert on-site and remote service delivery nationwide, and they are getting very high marks for their performance.

Results

• The reseller is now responding and winning sales opportunities that it could not previously respond to without installation services.
• Average transaction values have increases as the service attach rates have grown.
• Many occasional customers have become regular repeat customers, as the reseller is now their one-stop-shop for IT and audio/visual solutions.