As a reseller, your clients are the core of your business. Merchants turn to you for trusted advice and business support during challenging times—the pandemic should be no different. As the unprecedented challenges of 2020 continue well into 2021, all businesses are looking for ways to support their clients to their greatest ability. As merchants struggle with strained functionality due to COVID-19, it’s your duty to provide them with continued guidance and resources to help them succeed in the new business landscape. Read on to discover how you can provide merchant support as a reseller this year:
Dive into the Data of Your Industries
The proof is in the numbers and your business is no exception. Resellers can best support their merchant by researching their respective industries. Gathering knowledge on what’s trending, relevant, or no longer essential can be vital to the success of their business moving forward.
For example, restaurants have experienced incomparable changes due to the digital transformation caused by COVID-19. Your merchant support strategy may need a complete overhaul depending on the type of tech solutions your client offers for restaurants, such as online ordering or contactless payment options.
You’ll want to provide value to your clients with business advice beyond what tech investments to make, however. As a partner, you must keep an eye on anything pertinent to their industry and advise accordingly. Here are some questions to guide you while researching:
- What are the current challenges of my merchant’s industry?
- Do they have plans to evolve their technology solutions this year?
- What solutions do they currently have that aren’t useful in this landscape?
- How can I support this merchant if they need to change an aspect of their business?
Think of this exercise as an opportunity to learn more about each merchant, and where you—as a reseller—can provide the best merchant support possible.
Keep Communication Consistent
Communication is key; you won’t know the answer if you don’t ask. Resellers need to make an effort to keep the lines of communication open as often as possible. Sure, it’s important to know what’s happening in the industry at large, however, some industry changes may affect certain merchants differently. With a direct line of communication to your merchant, you can keep tabs on their individual status to ensure your advice is relevant and helpful.
Either way, it’s safe to say that clear and consistent communication is helpful when providing merchant support this year. Here are a few questions to ask your clients when it comes to supporting their business needs:
- What is the biggest challenge your business is experiencing right now?
- Are there any upgraded software or products forthcoming?
- How can we best support your business right now as a reseller?
In order to stay competitive as a reseller, your merchants need frequent check-ins along with superior support when it comes to the unique challenges of their industry.
Rethink Your Reseller Role for Merchant Support
Remote work became the new normal for many industries and businesses in 2020, and you can expect it to continue throughout 2021. Since may workplaces are virtual for the time being, it’s a good idea to offer digital options for your merchants—this includes new, potential merchants too. Instead of in-person meetings, connect over Zoom or Google Meets to discuss your support further.
To seal the deal with a new merchant, or extend the contract for a current merchant, make sure you have digital forms via DocuSign or Adobe Sign. This eliminates the hassle of mailing contracts back and forth and is also a safer alternative amid the pandemic. You also need to consider your marketing efforts as a reseller and debate what transitions you will make to best support your merchants. Here are some examples:
- Email blasts for product upgrades or when new software is deployed to certain products
- Social advertising to reach your current contact base as well as new customers for your merchants
Ready to arm your merchants with the tools they need to succeed in 2021? Paradise has been supporting various customers through our Channel Partner Program, offering sales and marketing resources, extensive industry knowledge, and world-class support. Contact our team today.