If you’re a Zoho CRM reseller — or ANY technology reseller or consultant — you know it’s often a dog-eat-dog world getting end-users to choose you over other resellers. You can’t just compete on price alone as that simply creates a race to the bottom, which quickly turns a dog-eat-dog world into a doggone world..
So the way many VARs (value-added resellers) and consultants differentiate their offerings is through service, and that creates endless opportunities for smart, driven consultants and everyone who works with them. Because with the right team of sales reps, software engineers, and customer support staff, you can add value to both your tech partner and your customer.
The fundamental value-add of a Zoho CRM reseller
Put simply: the fundamental value-adds of most every VAR are technology implementation, integration, deployment, and maintenance services, and customer support. The expertise of Zoho CRM or any other enterprise level software company (like Microsoft or SAP or Oracle or Salesforce or etc.) is technology. That doesn’t mean they “don’t do customer service,” but it often means they can’t devote 100% of their efforts to it (after all, they have products to build!)
During an initial customer engagement, for example, a consultant who is reselling enterprise tech like Zoho CRM typically adds value in implementation and customization. Most businesses considering a major CRM are having more than just “bandwidth” or “reducing manual labor” issues (because they have those without exception!).
Customization in both markets and applications
Every VAR’s customer is looking for a solution customized to meet the specific needs of their existing and future business: i.e., they’re not seeking A solution; they’re seeking THEIR solution.
Which is why most consultants and VARs focus on the customization of a solution, in addition to implementation. It’s also why most have a specific vertical market focus as they will learn from each successive customer engagement the kinds of applications and extensions that best enhance a CRM, ERP, or other enterprise level solution within that specific market.
For example, a VAR specialized in the global financial services market may not be all that focused on what the best extension is for e-commerce, but they will certainly have recommendations for customers regarding data security across international borders. To provide a more specific example, a Zoho CRM reseller might offer a sales proposal automation software like iQuoteXpress (IQX) to B2B customers , but not to its B2C customers.
Reselling extensions without becoming overextended
The challenge every Zoho CRM reseller faces is that, as they customize each solution for each customer, the customer expects expertise not just at the platform level, but across every extension. And no matter how well-versed any given consultant may be in the multiple extensions they offer customers, it’s impossible to be fully versed every new app and extension and its requirements, integrations, features, etc.
So a Zoho CRM reseller can breathe a sigh of relief when its extension partners provide robust support for the extensions they offer. Which is what IQX offers every Zoho CRM reseller and its customers — unlimited support at every level.
A sales proposal automation solution that’s a value-add for VARs, too
IQX, recently selected by Zoho CRM as a preferred extension, benefits Zoho CRM users by automating the creation, delivery, and tracking of sales proposals. And IQX benefits Zoho resellers and consultants by giving them a sought-after extension they can easily add to their offerings (and drive more revenue), without having to do anything to support the implementation and use of IQX — because IQX provides all the support required on all sides of the equation.
Imagine the sales pitch a Zoho CRM reseller can make:
“Yes, customer X, you can automate sales proposals in Zoho CRM with IQX and reduce the amount of time it takes to create and send proposals by as much as 70%. And there’s no learning curve as IQX includes complete support: they’ll help you load proposal templates, configure products and pricing bundles, and customize for your enterprise. It’s also a single sign-on integration that they’ll use right off the Zoho nav.”
If you’re a Zoho CRM reseller or consultant, we hope every extension you offer makes it this easy for both you and your customers. Contact us and we’ll help you add IQX to your portfolio so that you can offer a more complete solution to any of your customers who create/send/otherwise use sales proposals. We’ll be happy to explain the features and benefits, give you a demo, and even advise on positioning the offer for your customers.
