Who Has The Best Channel Product?

A recent poll of Business Solutions magazine (BSM) readers showed us that 74% of respondents are currently investigating new technologies to help boost sales. Thinking back to when I was a VAR, I wondered what resources were available to help me choose new products and technologies. For years now, it’s been easy to find reviews and user feedback on general computing devices such as PCs, desktop printers, and even basic networking equipment, but where can you find reviews of products like ultrahigh-volume production scanners, all-in-one POS (point of sale) terminals, and SAN (storage area network) solutions? There really isn’t a resource that provides real-world assessments of many of the products you resell (or are thinking about reselling). That’s about to change.

As a follow-up to our popular Best Channel Vendor survey that we published in the January 2009 issue of BSM (visit BSMInfo.com/bestworst to check out the “Best”), we’re currently working with Penn State University to collect feedback via a new survey that will help us create a valuable resource for you — the Best Channel Products.

Whereas the Best Channel Vendor survey provided VARs with scores and anecdotes pertaining to a vendor’s overall partner program, margins, and product reliability, this survey will provide you with scores and anecdotes on specific products. The results will appear in the September 2009 issue of BSM. In the end, we will establish the leading products in multiple technology categories, giving you valuable information to help you make educated business decisions.

However, even if you’re not in the market for new products, the results of this survey will be able to help you in another way. Imagine being able to show prospective customers that the product you’re selling is a Best Channel Product. That’s instant differentiation.

At a time when competition has never been tougher and making sound business decisions has never been more important, the Best Channel Product special issue will give you a tool that will help you overcome both challenges. Obviously, to make this survey meaningful, we need your help in gathering the data. If you haven’t already, please visit BSMinfo.com/BestProducts to take the survey. We’ll be giving away $1,000 in prizes to random survey-takers, so be sure to fully fill out the survey by the June 12 deadline. With your help, we’ll be able to make this special report into something that will help you grow your business.