Reseller report card: The Good, the bad, and the ugly

IT buyers let rip on what they really think of their reseller suppliers?

As part of our Top VARs end-user research, we asked the 250 respondents to let rip on their experiences with their IT suppliers; good, bad and indifferent. A flavour of the responses can be seen below.

The Good

"Our mainframe supplier keeps us informed without being too pushy. This approach recently won the company a very large order for four new mainframes."

"Our managed service provider is now trying really hard to ‘digitise' our processes, really push IT solutions (real solutions to real problems, not just dressing up a printer sale as a 'solution'), and then look at processes to change them in line with business needs."

"A local supplier sends me a Curly Wurly each year, which is far better than the pointless ‘customer satisfaction' calls that other suppliers bombard me with - especially when I've stopped using them due to their incompetence and told them to stop contacting me."

"Really value the fact that they respond to everything immediately; bend over backwards to deliver what we want when we want it - even if it means shipping to site on a Sunday night because we are having an issue; take ownership of problems. In the past we have dealt with larger suppliers where we've had to conform to their processes rather than them serving us."

The Bad

"Hate wading through websites looking for necessary product add-ons (e.g. warranties) when the supplier could have simply added a web link/page. I also hate blanket delivery charges that bear no relation to the item (size/weight) being sent."

"Don't appreciate: constant calls/emails; limited numbers of skilled staff; poor written communication skills; consultants who force a particular view, technology, etc; anyone who ‘bends the truth'."

"Sales staff who take a basic resale job and tag professional services and managed services onto the contract that were never wanted."

"I do not like suppliers that over-promise and under-deliver. In fact, it really makes me angry. It is generally a sales issue (for example, when a salesman over-promises and one finds out only on delivery the restrictions that apply)."

The Ugly

"Horror - continuous and multiple approaches by hardware vendor and their third-party suppliers. Ended up having to block their calls."

"Cocky bulls**t is the most annoying trait with IT companies. We are sometimes treated as though we have no understanding of the issues arising."

"Our host has a history of double charging, ignoring emails, closing its ‘24/7/365' phone lines for office parties, and straight up lying to cover themselves. Bizarrely, these are not isolated cases - I've experienced each of those things almost every time I've had any contact with them. They're a top-five VPS and dedicated server provider, by the way."

"Every big-name telecoms provider (BT Business, Virgin Media Business, TalkTalk Business) has useless call centre staff, usually offshore, who cannot resolve problems (or often understand your problem) on the first call. It wastes time and makes everyone angry. Other big-name vendors (Cisco, VMware) rely on their brand to justify inflated prices and poor products - there are plenty of better alternatives."

End users on…

…what would make them engage with an IT supplier

"I generally know what I want when I approach a supplier. What impresses me is when they go the extra mile, which could be doing something as simple as directing me to a better product."

"In general any company that will provide a ‘try before you buy' facility is adding good value. If a product is good, it will sell itself. Anyone who will not let you try, potentially has something to hide."

"Showing how their systems integrate with systems we already have; showing how we can save money via said integration and also time/resources; or showing how their product is better than ones we currently have (but this has to be truthful: just saying they're better without providing any examples won't win points!)"

"Sales teams that know our business inside out without ever meeting us are a huge bonus in the process. They have done their research and know exactly how we operate and then provide a solution that is tailored to us right from the get-go."

End users on…

…whether they feel IT suppliers are becoming less influential

"Yes, they are becoming less influential - if they want to affect a decision, they need to ‘showcase' themselves better - that is assuming they can - and explain how they can add value."

"Suppliers are remaining as influential as they were, but they do need to be on the same wavelength and understand the kind of organisation we are."

"Many IT suppliers are becoming less influential because they still prefer to push ‘special deals' from a given vendor or they focus on selling what they'd prefer you to have, rather than taking the time to understand your business and find the solution that is best for you."

"I generally research purchases before contacting suppliers, so they have little impact on my decision-making process."

Our IT decision makers on…

…cold calling

"Cold calling no longer works (if it ever did). I'll give them a chance to introduce themselves but it does not normally result in successful engagement unless we have been in a conversation first."

"Cold calling, the sheer volume of cold calls and the fact that they always say the same thing (we are the cheapest, we give the best service) means that I give them little time."

"Probably only twice in my 25-year IT career have cold callers been successful and called up with the right thing at the right time."

"The main thing I really value in a supplier is 100 per cent impartial advice, even if it means that they miss out on sales as certain activities can be carried out in a more cost-effective way. I totally hate cold calls, especially when the cold callers lie and say they are one of my existing suppliers to get through to me in the first place."

Our IT decision makers on…

…what they love/value in suppliers

"When the IT supplier genuinely does understand what I am looking for and is able to give an honest answer which may go against his/her company propaganda/marketing... I will often give them my business because I feel that they are trying to solve my problem which may not necessarily promote their own company's premium product lines."

"I like it when a supplier actually checks a multiple item order for consistency and points out incompatibilities, eg x does not work with y, try z."

"Clarity of communication. It's really important to me to know what my supplier is saying as I have had lots of trouble with this."

Our IT decision makers on…

…what they loathe in suppliers

"Breaking promises, not answering phone or email is very bad. Supplying poor quality goods when asked for advice."

"The biggest issue I have is not delivering to agreed timescales, not responding in a prompt manner, issues with billing and so on."

"Channel resellers consistently ignoring the stated requirements in order to sell what is in their stock - this can be hugely irritating."