Many technology resellers view customer service as their largest value enhancer. While irrefutably important, responsive support and knowledgeable sales agents can only differentiate a business so much. That said, company culture can add dimension to customer service to make it more contagious for customers and productive for staff.
For most resellers, products are products. Consumers can buy them anywhere, so the competition is felt fiercely. IT services have been similarly commoditized, so to overcome this market saturation, resellers must form solutions.
Solutions demonstrate expertise and customer knowledge. Not only must a solution use the right products, but it must deploy them in the most efficient way for that customer. This is what makes solutions sticky: they solve ongoing problems and become integral operations in the customer's business.
Here’s where culture enters. Culture integrates itself into the customer base through all employee interactions. Beyond the technological benefits customers receive, they come to recognize the policies, procedures and beliefs of their provider, giving them greater satisfaction and confidence in the solution.
A strong reseller culture resonates with its subscribers and, consequently, opens an ongoing dialogue. This creates a feedback loop, where a business can listen to its existing customer base to improve its operations and attract new business more effectively.
Companies that deal in products and services cannot always construct a feedback loop because the model is transactional—the reseller provides the goods and consumer pays from them. Solution-based resellers maintain their accounts, which allows them to evolve their offerings based on those account behaviours. A culture becomes a type of ecosystem where reseller and customer work and grow together.
Culture is an acquisition tool. It helps to attract like-minded talent and foster a sense of inclusivity and collaboration. In fact, a defined culture can increase organizational productivity.
According to Kirks Global Compass, cultured companies perform 20% better overall, with a 12% increase in production. This is because the employees are engaged and enthusiastic, proud to be a part of the business and that attitude is magnetic for customers.