Report Looks At The Value Of Solutions Created From Multiple Vendors' Technologies
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
VARs and systems integrators have choices in sourcing, assembling, and deploying hardware and software solutions for customers. Many VARs pick and choose multiple best-of-breed technologies from of a variety of vendors to construct more comprehensive offerings, which often results in better returns and higher sales prices. A report detailed in a white paper from Webroot, titled “The Power of Multiples: Best Practices for Selling Best-of-Breed Solutions” examines the many advantages to this strategy and also offers a number of helpful suggestions for capitalizing on this approach and discusses how to increase the satisfaction of your clients through a holistic approach to security.
Many VARs find working with a single vendor less complicated and more expedient than sourcing from multiple suppliers. The drawback: the technology available in single-vendor portfolios is inconsistent in quality and functionality. Nowhere is this more evident than the security space, where a client’s critical assets must be thoroughly safeguarded with no tolerance for weak spots.
A growing number of VARs show better returns and higher average sales prices than peers by creating holistic solutions using multiple best-of- breed technologies. The 2112 Group program report in the paper examines the value and process by which VARs can succeed with this best-of-breed strategy, as well as how channel partners can leverage these solutions to energize and enable horizontal sales.
Ultimately, the study concludes, services-led IT solutions provide a tremendous attraction for a host of channel partners who are drawn by the prospect of increased recurring revenue and stronger customer retention. Partners must choose between best-in-class offerings from one vendor, or best-in-breed solutions from multiple vendors when it comes to sourcing, assembling, and deploying foundational hardware and software solutions.
The study makes clear that the choice is most crucial in the development of security offerings, where the increasing cyber threats constantly place the client’s business and the partner’s reputation on the line.
There are some obvious up-front advantages in cost and speed-to-market with single-vendor solutions, but the report warns that those initial advantages wither when seen through the lens of a partner developing a mature and robust security service that relies on comprehensive protections and partner-driven managed and professional services.
Using a group of vendors to build a security practice with best-of-breed tools from a group of vendors gives the partner the ability to craft unique, branded security offerings tailored to client needs and to focus on high-value integrations and customizations to ensure steady, recurring sales with an engaged clientele.
Ultimately, the study concludes, solution providers realize better returns and higher average sales prices than their peers and do a better job of protecting customers when they adopt best-of-breed tools.
The full white paper may be downloaded here.