Keep your friends closer

Sukh Rayat underlines the importance of maximising your distribution relationships in times of change

Traditional business models are being transformed and for business partners to succeed, they must build a strong, credible supply chain and stay close to their distribution partners.

Having access to the best technology combined with the right expertise is vital for developing and growing new business models.

Distributors can help, and pay dividends when it comes to growth during times of change. However, only by delivering skills or services that a business partner does not already have does distribution add true value.

Each case is different. Work with a distributor prepared to tailor an offering. For example, identifying areas of growth and developing offerings made up of complementary vendor products to take advantage of new opportunities.

Many organisations find it difficult to carry on business as usual while looking to change and capitalise on new opportunities.

No one wants to end up down a blind alley, so where is the best place to start? Where are the most profitable areas for deploying limited resources?

A good distributor can answer many such questions and lower the barriers to entry to new markets and technologies. Resellers can transform their businesses with less uncertainty, risk and cost.

Distributors may be able to offer tools to help tackle SaaS and managed services transformations, such as online estate management and a services portfolio.

This can capture data about a company's IT assets and add external product data sets to understand the customer's hardware and software estates in terms of compliance, product end of life, support renewal requirements and power consumption.

In turn these tools can provide valuable information to inform customer recommendations and new opportunities. A level of detail may be possible if a distributor has close vendor relationships and shared data.

However, there is also a lot to be said for staying close in terms of accessing traditional enablement and training programmes available from distribution partners.

At times of change there is always a need to enhance skills and plug short-term capability gaps.

Likewise, being able to rely on additional financial strength from distribution provides the confidence and stability needed in times of growth. Be brave, build a strong supply chain – and stay close to your distribution partner.

Sukh Rayat is senior UK vice president for the northern region, computer components and integrated offerings at Avnet