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The VAR world is fast paced and ever-evolving. If a VAR were to ever fall behind or slack off, that could affect the flow of 
things and potentially harm their business. As the competition heightens over the passing months, working efficiently and promoting a positive customer service etiquette can win the race. As VARs, you might be struggling with completing mundane and repetitive tasks, and perhaps not even understanding the appropriate solutions for issues. The following tips of the trade should surely assist you in getting more organized and productive in the short and long run of things.
Day-to-Day Organization Matters
Day-to-day tasks do matter, perhaps even as much as those tasks that have been planned out months in advance. Tracking past, present and future work is vital for growth and accomplishing set goals. This applies to all those who are employed at your company, to keep everyone on the same page and held accountable. Communication is everything, but it’s more important that they are actually listening and responding to your communication methods. Working a website or communication platform app that allows managers to track tasks as descriptively as possible, can promote productivity as well.
Organized Tracking
If you don’t have a CRM to keep everyone organized that’s where things get tricky. You could potentially even lose business with customers. Your CRM needs to grow as you do, because the wrong type of CRM could lead to the potential for critical mistakes. Centralizing opportunities and they are stored is an important tip that you shouldn’t sleep on. This practice allow you to see directly into the order of importance when it comes to tasks, so you don’t make errors or lose track of weekly and monthly goals.
The best free tools that provide top-notch CRM software include: Hubspot CRM, Freshsales, Workbooks.com, Zoho CRM and so many more.
These tools can assist with contact management, email scheduling, social media ads, and even tasks as simple as controlling the conversation between employees.
Automation is Key
Customers are busy, just like you. When they decide to make a purchase from you, you’ll want to make sure the process is as simple as possible for them. If it can’t be completed through the tap of a button or a mouse click, it could result in a missed opportunity for a sale, which is a ‘no-no.’
Perhaps introducing a quoting system would be wise, in terms of collecting online payments and e-signature to close out sales. Make it as easy as possible for your customers. Simplicity is key. On your end of the spectrum, receiving a notification when a quote has been opened or signed will be quite beneficial for your team. If a prospective customer doesn’t answer or open a quote, it may be in in your best intentions to reach out to that individual, to answer any questions or uncertainties. In the process of doing so, you as the VAR, can be sure to clear up any blurry lines involved.
To give yourself some peace of mind, automating the quoting process is suggested. When constructing quotes, errors are likely to arise in the process, especially when done so, manually. A simple mistake could cost you thousands of dollars. Automation increases productivity and efficiency while decreasing costs and risk for human error.
Product Sourcing Tips
Mastering product sourcing can influence an organized mindset, through saving you countless hours searching for the best pricing. Locating the tool that gives you the most up-to-date information and real-time data from preferred distributors that can allow you to give your customers the most competitive pricing scale. No matter who they are, your customers are going to be on the prowl for the best deal. Competitive pricing can make all the difference in the long run. Real-time pricing allows the customer to see the price that they are offered, and the updates as it changes.
Be sure to conduct qualitative research to the best of your ability. Make sure you can find a system that completes all that you need fully. From sourcing products, to running full automation capabilities, setting up a successful CRM and holding employees accountable through platforms and calendars, the right system matters. As a result, this can give you a clearer picture of what sales’ projections are looking like and how to meet those demands.
