November 26, 2008, 3:25 PM — If you are in the IT business, you probably know there are varying opinions about whether small business computer consultants can be successful as IT resellers. How can you weigh your options and decide what you want to offer?
The following 4 points can help you think about the future of IT resellers, small business computer consulting and which products and services you want to offer your clients.
(1) Think About What Pure Computer Consulting Firms Do. Those that do not want to be IT resellers usually choose to be pure computer consulting firms. They believe they will never make a penny off product margin, and that IT resellers are less profitable than those that choose to focus purely on selling consulting services. They decide not to resell hardware, software or peripherals, though they do help clients decide exactly which products they should purchase and what the specs will be. Making these decisions helps pure computer consultants have control over the overall solution and provide better services to their clients.
(2) Consider the Concept of a Fee-Based Purchasing Agent. Another variation on the pure computer consulting business model is the idea of acting as a fee-based purchasing agent for clients. Independent, fee-based purchasing agents are not IT resellers; but they do purchasing for clients and bill them for a couple of hours for this function. Their job is to review quotes, place and track orders, and guide clients through the product purchase.
(3) Know What Hybrid Consulting Firms Do. Hybrid consulting firms are basically part-time IT resellers. They may sell desktops, servers and notebooks. When you are deciding whether or not to resell products, you need to think carefully about whether or not these functions fit into your business plan and contribute to your company's goals. You also need to consider whether or not this type of part-time reselling will be a good use of your time and resources. Also, think about how much net bottom-line profit you will actually earn as a result of reselling.
(4) Carefully Consider Whether or Not You Really Want to Resell Products. Your decision to resell products depends on where you want to spend your time. Do you want to invest time trying to get incremental profit off product sales? Or do you want to put your energy towards pure consulting services revenue and building solutions for your clients? No matter which decision you make, you have to remember that those that decide to become hybrid IT resellers/computer consultants cannot succeed if they lead with commodity-oriented product sales. You have to sell comprehensive business solutions that can truly help your clients’ companies thrive.
In this article we discussed 4 items that can help small business computer consultants weigh the pros and cons of being IT resellers. Learn more about how IT resellers can get great, steady, high-paying clients now at http://www.ITResellerKit.com
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