You’re in charge of a busy department. The day to day functions won’t go away and your time is spent managing teams, sorting out issues, liaising with other departments and keeping track of your suppliers. The to-do list grows longer, the issues get bigger and your business needs to keep on top of it’s infrastructure to keep it trading efficiently and effectively. Your business mobiles are nearly out of contract, there are murmurings around the building that the internet is slow, there are WiFi blackspots everywhere, but you just don’t know where they are, the fifth floor is about to be renovated, and on top of that the phone system needs replacing before the 2025 BT shutdown. It’s a lot to take care of, of course it can be distributed amongst your staff, but the responsibility is yours and they still have their day job to do. What do you do?
You could spend hours trawling the internet, reading reviews, searching out suppliers for each of the different requirements you have, arranging multiple meetings, some on site and some off, and trying to learn about all of the new technology that’s become available since you last had to do this. Or, worse still, trying to deal with the mess left behind by your predecessor…
Or, like many businesses, you could engage with a company that does all of this for you… Like us! One point of contact. Whether it’s to report a fault or to order new services.
What is a reseller?
In simple terms, it’s a company that resells products and services from other manufacturers. These products and services could be pens and pencils, insurance, carpet or any number of other things. In this case we will describe specifically how many Telecommunications resellers work and the benefits that they bring.
A reseller will work in what is known as a “Channel” model. The channel is the route a product or service takes from the manufacturer (or main supplier) to the end customer. It usually works through a wholesale distribution model. For example: You have a company that makes coffee. You receive the raw materials, roast it, grind it and package it into a product that can be sold. A distribution company comes along with a load of lorries and takes away your finished product, stores it in a warehouse and then distributes it amongst the many supermarkets and shops. Finally, those retail outlets resell the product onto the consumer.
A reseller will typically have portfolio of services that complement each other. It doesn’t make sense to offer just one service, particularly when that service can be bought direct from the manufacturer in some cases (such as mobile phone contracts with Vodafone or O2). They will aggregate services from a range of suppliers and manufacturers such as Internet Connectivity, VoIP systems, Mobiles, WiFi solutions and more. Things that go hand in hand with each other.
Why shouldn’t I buy direct from the manufacturer?
There’s no reason why you shouldn’t, it just adds another supplier to your list. Another contract for you to manage. They don’t always offer the best deals either. A reseller will buy their products from the distributor at wholesale rates. It makes sense for manufacturers and suppliers to offer as many channels to market as possible, so that they can sell more of their product. In many cases the reseller takes a lot of the workload away from the manufacturer and there are some companies that will only sell their products through this distribution model to cut down on their sales overheads.
What is a Value-added reseller?
There are two types of reseller. The first is just a simple box shifter, concerned only with selling as many units as possible. These typically have headline low prices and constant special offers. They have large sales teams and aggressive sales targets. They will have hundreds of small customers that buy a few products from them, with little in the way of maintenance or support.
The second type is a Value Added Reseller (VAR), which is what we are at Litenet.
A VAR is very different in it’s approach. We will partner with our customers, using all of the skills and experience of our staff to ensure that what we know about the industries we work in is readily available to our customers. We see ourselves as an extension of your business, an additional resource to your department and a trusted supplier for when you come to us and say “I need this…”
VARs are different in the way they go about their business. We invest heavily in training and staying up to date with our chosen industries, we pick suppliers that offer products and services that complement each other and work with us, rather than simply on margin. We take customer service and satisfaction seriously, staking our reputation on our solutions.
Suits You!
The analogy… there’s always one somewhere, it’s a useful way of explaining a point. Let’s say you needed to buy a new suit. There are several ways you can achieve this. One would be to buy a suit on the internet. This requires you to know exactly what it is you need in a suit. You need to know what sizes, what material you want, what colour, what fit, etc. You place your order and the following day your suit is delivered, It’s then up to you to try it on, check the fit and decide if you like it. Alternatively you could go to Next on the high street. They have suits, lots of them. You can walk in and somebody will offer to sell you a suit. You’ll have a quick look around, try a couple on and walk out with a suit. No problem. The third option is to visit a tailor. You enter the shop and you’re met by somebody who has been in the industry for years. They understand fashion, clothing, style and fit. They take your measurements, they show you a selection of fabrics and colours and linings. They ask you what the suit is for. Is it a wedding, funeral, business suit? They show you a range of shirts, cuff links, pocket squares and ties. You might not need them, you might already have those bits. They understand, they want you to look your best. They advise you, bring you new products to try on, put together packages that work well. You walk out of that shop with a suit that fits perfectly, that will last a long time, looks good and feels great.
Value Added Resellers are the tailors of the technology industry. The quality and bespoke service. The after sales care. The attention to detail. They do the thinking, the organising. Their knowledge is used for the benefit of their customers and nobody else.
So, what about Litenet?
We are that value added reseller. We are the guys that have the knowledge, experience and connections to help you manage your business communications. We can remove the hassle of negotiating new mobile phone contracts, making sure you have the best internet connectivity to your offices, a reliable phone system that works exactly how you want it to. Telecommunications is our business. We can manage your connectivity from the point of entry to your building (Ethernet, ADSL, whatever it is you choose), all the way through to the fibre backbone linking your server room and comms cabinets, and the copper cabling at each users desk. We have the technical expertise to find solutions to almost any technical issue your business might face. Having a suite of products and services enables us to offer the complementary service that medium and large businesses need. Engaging with us is easy too, just drop an email to info@litenetuk.com or call us on 01908 794 794. We look forward to hearing from you.
