Security Sales & Integration February 2023 - 59

EXECUTIVE DECISIONS
Business Fitness by Paul Boucherle
5 Suggestions
to Help Strengthen
Distribution Channels
If you get
caught up in
defending a
less-thanoptimal
solution
against
a
superior
product, you
could get into
a bar brawl
resulting in
either a lost
customer or
discounting
your off ering
costs.
▶ IF YOUR SECURITY BUSINESS depends
on moving products through diff erent channels
- and whose doesn't in the B2B model - it can
be a challenge. Why is that?
Systems integrators are creatures of habit
and sometimes slow to adopt new products
that could change their business formula. Th ey
are risk adverse for several reasons. Some of the
rationale makes sense and some not so much.
Here is what I have experienced, and you may
relate to this as well.
1. Supplier loyalty and relationships are a biggy,
and quite understandable. Our industry is very
relationship based, which has worked for many
years. I get it. However, are your current suppliers
staying abreast of new product developments and
customer demands in a changing market?
Good enough won't cut it if your competitors
Paul Boucherle, Certifi ed
Protection Professional
(CPP) and Certifi ed Sherpa
Coach (CSC), is principal
of Canfi eld, Ohio-based
Matterhorn Consulting
(matterhornconsulting.
com) and an SSI Industry
Hall of Famer. He has more
than 30 years of diverse
security and safety industry
experience.
securitysales.com
have better solutions at better price points. Th at's
just a fact. Second, if you get caught up in defending
a less-than-optimal solution against a superior
product, you could get into a bar brawl resulting
in either a lost customer or discounting your off ering
costs. Prepare for a bloody profi t nose.
2. Introducing new suppliers into an organization
can be somewhat haphazard in your approach.
Become more disciplined but not close
minded. Security companies are complex in their
buying processes and buying decisions. Th is involves
more than sales teams who have opportunities
for closing sale or upselling with new products.
Th ey can get excited about opportunities; I
know I did back in the day.
Delivering these solutions involves the entire
team of installation, project management, service
after the sale, and most importantly developing
positive referrals for other vertical markets. Word
of mouth for successes and failures travels quickly
among integrators, and more importantly their
customers.
3. Rethink your needs and processes for taking
on new product lines. Marketing hype alone does
not cut it and it increases your risks and reputation.
Invert your thinking about what problems
and opportunities make sense for your company.
Some guidelines may help.
4. Separate the fl uff from the reality. Where to
start?
a. Encourage your entire team to be engaged
in the decisions. Two heads are better, and
three even better to provide more perspectives
of how a new product line impacts all
departments. Ears open and mouth shut to
learn, then ask tough questions.
b. Start with the problem, opportunity or challenges
your channel partners face. How will
a new product or service help them solve
their sales, design, project management,
installation and service support concerns?
c. Determine how you will support those
key areas. Integrity, energy and enthusiasm
should support their decision-making to
make that change. Understand their support
and training requirements and your ability
to align your resources to enable a change.
d. Defi ne what role you as a " value-added
distributor " will add to this mix of support.
Will your customer's team be open to enable
a meaningful change?
5. As a distributor, you make money by moving
products and inventory turns into their channel
partner organizations. Th ey make more money if
they are happy with their support processes. Evaluate
how you deliver on a national, regional and
local support basis. Integrators' offi ces don't operate
the same way. Learn to adapt.
Having worked through the entire security ecosystem
from product suppliers, distributors system
integrators and end users during the past 25
years, I can assure you each of these clients have
strengths and weaknesses in their business models.
Bringing them together to solve vertical market
demands takes some broad perspectives as well as
knowing the realities of delivering security goals.
Get creative and innovative with training workshops
and tools to be successful!
FEBRUARY 2023 Security Sales & Integration 59
paul@matterhornconsulting.com
@swisssherpa
http://www.securitysales.com
Security Sales & Integration February 2023

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