1. Diversification!
A reseller has access to many integrated data solutions from multiple vendors so you can rest assured that they are recommending the best solution for your needs. They will not force a square peg into a round hole.
2. Personalized Customer Service
A reseller will often have a small dedicated staff to attend to your needs. That staff will know you and your business. Whereas the software vendors may have large call centers and you may get a different person every time. This is not to say that you get will bad service, but a reseller will ask you how you what colleges your son is looking at.
3. Partnerships
Resellers will often form partnerships with other firms that handle data integration architecture to ensure they are offering the best integration consultants. "Oh, you use SAP Business One? No problem, we have a partner who has expertise integrating with that package."
4. Lower Prices
The vendors are often limited by what the listed prices are. A reseller may not have that constraint and may be able to offer lower prices, as they are often buying at the wholesale level and have some wiggle room.
5. Teamwork
Using a reseller means you are getting the benefit of having a whole team behind you. It also means you have access to the knowledge base of the integration consultants at the reseller AND the vendor level. Resellers are in the unique position of being able to work directly with the vendor's technical staff, allowing you to get your integrated data answers and resolutions quickly.
6. Relationships
A reseller is often a small company and has a smaller customer base. Less customers means more focus on each customer and thus stronger relationships emerge. A small reseller will have customers on a first name basis with programmers, sales, tech support and the president herself!
Aurora Technologies/EDI Support, Inc specializes in EDI implementation and data integration solutions. For more information, please contact Shandra Locken, at shandra@edisupport.com or 800-404-9182 x25.