3 Reasons Value-Added Resellers should Expand POS Service Offerings

February 21, 2018

In a crowded service ecosystem where it’s easy for merchants to buy direct, the ability to differentiate yourself from the herd of competitors is key. But for value-added resellers (VARs) of point of sale (POS) technologies, what differentiates the software and solutions you are selling from that of your competitors? The short answer is you! The 19^th century painter James Whistler said, “An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” And when you’re in the business of helping merchants in a niche marketplace master the art of retail, you need to be a master at creating the vision. Ultimately, this is what differentiates you from merely a vendor of technology to a trusted advisor of state-of-the-art solutions helping niche retailers gain a competitive edge. To do this requires constant education on the changing trends and pain points of the industry, as well as product innovations. VARs who expand POS service offerings will be well-positioned for future success.

1. Build Trust

If your LED SmartTV breaks, you’re probably not going to take it to the repairman that features tube and projection TVs in his storefront. You wouldn’t trust he had the industry knowledge to diagnose and fix the problem. The same is true for value-added resellers. Your merchants need to see you as a trusted advisor with leading industry knowledge. If you never take the time to explore the offerings of an independent software vendor (ISV) not featured on your line card, you could be overlooking a solution that is ideal for one of your customers. With changing industry standards like the transition to EMV, and evolving trends in customer behavior like growing mobile commerce, it is more important than ever for value-added resellers to deliver solutions that help their retailers meet these new demands.  That is impossible to do if you are not ahead of the curve. Position yourself as an advisor whose knowledge extends beyond your current product and software offerings by continually researching and implementing new products that address today’s retail challenges.

2. Create Value

Small to mid-size business (SMB) owners don’t have the time to sift through the wide sea of technologies available, all claiming to deliver the best ROI. However, value-added resellers need to prioritize time to glean through all available software and solutions. How else will you learn which products will solve pain points most efficiently, even if these products are not currently among your offerings? This is key to the “value add” of a reseller. You have the ability to sit one-on-one with your retailers asking questions and listening to their needs and objectives. You then have an arsenal of tools at your fingertips from which to pluck a solution that will be uniquely tailored to your retailer. Expanding your product offerings increases the chance that you are ready to provide a solution that can meet their needs.

3. Raise Revenue

Adding new services is a surefire way for value-added resellers to keep revenues rising and your client relationships “sticky,” while differentiating you from the herd of competitors. Even if your bread and butter is primarily hardware, onboard ISV partners so that your product line grows, as well as your expertise to create total packages that meet the unique needs of your merchants.

Value-added resellers who expand POS service offerings will gain a competitive edge in a crowded marketplace. To create the best vision that will help your customers in niche marketplaces succeed, explore and add software to your line card that will meet the individualized needs of your retail partners. TallySoft offers POS and retail management software proven to help niche retailers master the art of selling. Learn more about dealer program today.