Standing still is not an option

Lee Prior, marketing manager at Westcoast, discusses why all customers – from SME up to large corporation – expect resellers to be experts and why therefore there’s a constant need for more knowledge
If history has taught us anything it’s that those who feel comfortable standing still, those that are not stretching themselves and seeking to advance to the next level are, in fact, already moving backwards. That has never been more true than it is right now for resellers.
Technology is so woven into the fabric of business that most companies would be unable to function without it and yet the level of knowledge and understanding of this vital thread is remarkably low within the UK SME sector, a sector that makes up almost 80% of the available market – and a key opportunity for resellers. There are literally tens of thousands of small-to-medium businesses and their existence is reliant on technology they don’t understand…instead they expect us, their IT gurus and modern-day alchemists, to understand it on their behalf and advise them on how best to wield this powerful weapon.
Even the smallest SME today expects enterprise-level IT resources to power their business and the reseller channel is expected to do far more than simply refresh tin and offer new software; those not able to offer services alongside these functions are finding themselves losing out to those that can. For those in the channel that have been slow to recognise this change, or who have struggled to adapt to the shifting expectations, life has been, and will continue to be, very tough.
People come to you to with a need – but they’ll stay with you because of the services you offer – especially if those services are broad enough to satisfy as many needs as possible…and that’s where Westcoast and its partnership with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) comes into play.
Over the coming pages, using the expertise we have as the foremost HPE value add distributor in the UK and Ireland, we’ll share information on the drivers behind this change, the key solutions to be aware of and will outline the help and information that’s available.
Armed with the right solutions and the required information, backed up by Westcoast, resellers can continue to move forward and take advantage of a whole new world of service-led business – and leave those who stand still way behind.