What Should I Be Looking for in a VoIP Distributor?

It’s 2017, so it’s not difficult to find a VoIP distributor, especially if you know how to do a simple Google search.  But, are you finding the best VoIP distributor for your needs?  Any distributor can state that they’re the: best, worldwide leading, premium, platinum, awesome, etc.  Before you decide to commit to a distributor, there are a few things that you should be looking for in the process:

• Innovative, Current Product Mix: Granted, you need to make sure that the distributor you’re partnering with has the products your end users want & need, but it is also important that the distributor is consistently updating their product mix with the latest models of a product, as well as new, hot products.  Is the distributor still pushing models from two years ago with outdated features?  If so, you might need to pass.

• Sales Teams that Form Real Relationships: Your sales representative should be very well versed on the products he or she is selling, but shouldn’t your sales representative also care about your business?  Look for a sales team that not only has the knowledge and skill set to sell, but also works with you to find the best solutions for you to carry!  Your sales experience should be personalized, and your sales representative shouldn’t be pitching a “one-size-fits-all” script to you.

• Highly Trained Technical Support: A good VoIP distributor will offer technical support, both before and after the sale, but a great VoIP distributor will offer highly skilled, trained, and certified support.  Make sure that your distributor’s IT and tech team has been trained on the most up-to-date hardware & software solutions, and has obtained available certifications on these products.

• Customizable Support Options: Just as a sale should be personalized, so does the support.  Check to see if a distributor offers different tiers of support, including complimentary support with the purchase of a product.  Also, identify whether or not the distributor offers support outside of regular business hours and provides support on the phone or through remote access.

• Value-Added Extras: You may need more than just the hardware & software solutions themselves, so you should be looking for a VoIP distributor that offers “all the extras.”

• Provisioning Capabilities: Provisioning stations, loaded with many provisioning ports, will allow your distributor to unbox, power up and point your device to a provisioning file on your server.  The distribution team will also be able to scan & send serial numbers & MAC addresses.  You should be asking your potential distributor how many stations and ports they have available, as well as whether or not they offer custom provisioning packages.

• API Services: Check if your VoIP distributor offers Advanced API services.  These services will allow you to streamline your ordering process or automatically generate configuration files for your device provisioning.  Ordering and provisioning API will help seamlessly connect existing ordering processes, which will ensure that your hardware arrives correctly provisioned with your service platform.

• Marketing Services: You may not think to ask a distributor if they offer this, but as a small to medium VoIP SP or VAR, you may need to!  Your distributor should offer you a broad range of marketing solutions, including customized web content, branded box inserts, webinars, and other items that will help differentiate you from the “other guys.”  It’s also advisable to inquire & request marketing samples that the distributor did for their other partners.  It’ll prove that, in addition to being a really reliable VoIP distributor, they are also highly capable of designing a quality box insert.

• Training & Education Programs: Two things you should check into before committing to a VoIP distributor are their educational resources.  Do they frequently offer webinars on new products?  Do they provide training & educational material on their websites & product portals?  The answer you’re looking for is “yes.”  It’s also important to check into whether or not your VoIP distributor will create custom training materials, in web-based or print-based formats, for you and your customers.  A solid VoIP distributor will have these services available to help you grow your business.

At the end of the day, you need to make sure you’re choosing the right VoIP distributor because they’re going to be contributing to your success.  If your distributor isn’t the best, you won’t be offering your customers the best.  888VoIP, a distributor of VoIP solutions, is proud to offer managed partners with a full, personal, and comprehensive VoIP package.  To learn more about what 888VoIP has to offer their managed partners, including their Channel Advantage Program, visit them on the web.