Being Mindful of the Challenges and Opportunities New Offerings Present

This publication is guilty of frequently extolling the virtues of dealers diversifying into ancillary products and services. And dealers are frequently wary of embracing the somewhat derisive term of shiny, new things, like cheap jewelry from a mall kiosk. Who can blame them? There are no guaranteed lucrative revenue-generating add-ons; if there were, then everyone would offer them. And dipping your toe into an overly saturated market certainly isn’t advisable.

While we’re not going to sugarcoat any one product or service, we won’t reject it out of hand, either. It’s important to take a dispassionate look at the possibilities, without the hype or the hate, and recognize there are pros and cons to each offering. As this month’s look at diversification opportunities draws to a close, we asked our dealer panel to offer up caveats and/or encouragements that may help their fellow resellers consider the merits and possibly make a determination as to a given item’s viability.

There is a bit of a learning curve that comes with offering barcode printers, notes Rogers Coxe, CEO of Dove Technologies in Florence, South Carolina. Given the level of complication, he advises resellers to start with the basics before wading into the deep end of the barcode pool.

“There are plenty of customers who need them, and I would say avoid pinpointing a specialization until you’ve mastered just the basic stuff,” he said. “It doesn’t take a terribly long time to do it, but you need to build the foundation first, and then you can choose a specialization that makes sense for your business and customer base.”

If there’s one thing that Pulse Technology Vice President Vince Miceli wants to caution you about when it comes to robotics, it’s the temptation to treat it as a transactional sale.  We’re not talking about Roombas: it’s a category that demands education, demonstrations, patience and a consultative sales approach in order to enjoy any level of success. Dealers banking on quick, copier-esque sales cycles will be quickly disappointed.

By the same token, Miceli doesn’t want you to think robotics is too futuristic for current consideration—the opportunity, he says, is real and growing. “Businesses are actively searching for ways to improve productivity, address labor shortages and automate routine tasks,” he said. “Dealers already have trusted relationships with these organizations, which gives them a significant advantage. For dealers willing to invest in learning the category and focusing on customer outcomes, robotics represents a natural extension of the technology advisor role that many dealerships are already pursuing.”

There’s a real danger in regarding conference room equipment as just another hardware line to tack on to your catalog. Gerard Iannuzzelli, director of strategic services and solutions for Chicago-based Green Office Partner, feels it demands a consultative approach. An impactful engagement encompasses a deep understanding of the client’s environment, team member meeting habits, their platforms of choice, knowing where their meetings break down and gaining an appreciation for the type of experience they want to create.

“If you are not prepared to support the client beyond the initial sale, it can quickly become frustrating for both your team and the customer,” Iannuzzelli said. “You also need the right internal expertise. The technology itself is accessible through many distributors, but successful outcomes depend on design, implementation, training and ongoing support. Without that structure in place, it is easy to underestimate the complexity of the category.”

It’s a viable opportunity, he added, especially as he believes clients are thinking differently about their offices, conference rooms and the role technology plays in collaboration. Given that many organizations are still trying to figure out how to make hybrid work feel seamless and productive, dealers can leverage their trusted relationships and add another dimension to existing engagements.

“If you approach it the right way, this category can open new conversations, deepen existing relationships, and create value beyond the initial hardware sale,” Iannuzzelli noted. “It gives dealers a chance to move from selling technology to solving workplace challenges.”