MAKE YOUR
CUSTOMERS’
PRO AV GOALS
A REALITY
IDENTIFYING CLIENT NEEDS AND
SELECTING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS
AND VENDORS
INTRODUCTION
As a value-added reseller (VAR), you are in a unique position to offer your customers industry-leading
technology that can greatly benefit their businesses. By working to make a customer’s goals a reality,
VARs truly do add value to each and every company they partner with.
In the pro AV space, a wide range of technologies is enabling customers in every vertical to enjoy benefits
such as increased ad sales and brand awareness, improved customer service, and reduced costs. Not
surprisingly, the market is growing at a rapid rate. According to InfoComm, the global pro AV industry is
expected to hit $114 billion in 2016, with digital signage making up the largest slice of that total. Close
behind are video conferencing, networked meeting rooms, and video walls.
Of course, the pro AV market is not without its challenges. In certain verticals, VARs encounter a lack of
customer awareness around the various types of pro AV technologies and how businesses are using
systems to reach their goals. In others, customers are familiar with the technology and interested to
discover how it might benefit them.
In both of these cases, you have an opportunity to serve as the pro AV expert for customers of all kinds.
Educate them about the potential business benefits of pro AV, and position yourself as a reliable source
for these and other systems. Help guide your clients to the best products and vendors for their goals,
and you will gain lifelong customers in the process.
© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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MEETING YOUR
CLIENTS’ NEEDS
Although each customer’s challenges, opportunities,
and overall goals are unique, following a set of
best practices for meeting a client’s needs will
be helpful. Here, we explain each step in the
process, from understanding your client’s goals
to recommending the best technologies.
First, identify the client’s needs
Recognize the pain points for the specific
vertical
The pro AV market includes such a wide
range of verticals, it’s vital that you fully
understand the various challenges and
typical “pain points” that each individual
customer is likely facing. For example, a
house of worship will experience much
different concerns than a corporate office
or higher education campus.
Familiarize yourself with the most common
pain points for the verticals in which you
operate the most. Then, learn how to speak
the language of that specific vertical. For
example, many corporate customers are
going to be seeking video conferencing,
digital signage, and meeting room
solutions. Meanwhile, a house of worship
may be more focused on lower-cost
display technology, such as projector
systems, and basic recording devices.
A great way to approach your customer’s
needs is to use the S.M.A.R.T. technique.
This acronym will help you to fully
understand your customer’s goals for its
pro AV system, while also ensuring that
any technology you recommend is
well-suited for each goal. S.M.A.R.T. stands
for specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic, and timely:
Specific – The end goal should be a
precise objective, such as “improve
sales.”
Measurable – The end goal can be
measured, e.g., “grow sales by 10
percent in 12 months.”
Achievable – Can the goal actually be
reached?
Realistic – Is the goal worthwhile for the
company?
Timely – Is now the right time to aim for
this kind of goal, or are there other
factors that might prevent success?
With these points in mind, you will be
more likely to stay focused on the particular
goal at hand, as well as what steps it will
take to get there.
Understand what the client really needs
What are your customer’s goals for its pro
AV technology? What will make the
installation a success? This might be
better customer engagement and service,
increased ad sales, decreased perceived
wait time for visitors, or any number of
other goals. As a VAR, you must take the
time to fully understand what each client
wants to accomplish.
© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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Tailor your pitch to the person of contact
When preparing your pro AV pitch, be
sure to tailor it to your contacts at each
company. Depending on their roles in the
implementation, their questions,
concerns, and goals may be different. For
example, consider the business owner
versus the CFO or chief marketing officer.
With a new pro AV system, the owner may
want to focus on the overall business
benefits, while the CFO might be most
concerned with ROI. Meanwhile, the chief
marketing officer may have questions
about specific content and sales opportunities. Consider each distinct perspective
to get a sense for each stakeholder’s pain
points and their overall, department-specific
goals for the technology.
Ask the right questions
No VAR is a mind reader; that’s why you
must ask detailed questions about your
customer’s business, existing technology
investment, long-term goals, and more.
Here are some key questions to get started:
1 Can you give me a high-level overview of how
your company operates?
2 What are some of your company’s big-picture
goals for the coming years?
3 What are your business goals (e.g., improve
sales, help grow business, and so on) for this
pro AV installation?
4 What are your department-specific goals for this
project?
5 How is AV technology currently used here?
6 How might pro AV be used/expanded here in the
coming years?
© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
...3
Next, establish yourself as a pro AV expert
Get to know the industry
Here is your opportunity to become a true expert in your field. Take the time to fully familiarize
yourself with the pro AV industry, including the core technologies and their various components,
common customer challenges and needs, emerging trends and innovations, and the leading technology
vendors. Read pro AV trade publications and websites, and join industry organizations to ensure that
you’re always aware of the latest news and innovations.
Speak your customers’ language
Depending on your point of contact, their pro AV lingo may be very different. Be sure to use
keywords that are appropriate for each stakeholder. As you familiarize yourself with the industry,
tailoring your language to each person will become second nature.
For example, consider the differences between technology-focused keywords and those that have
more to do with project development:
Technology keywords: 4K, interactivity, bandwidth, touchscreen, IT convergence, BYOD and
mobile, big data
Project development keywords: timelines, resources, budget, ROI, total cost of ownership (TCO)
If your audience is IT or the CIO, they will likely be more interested in the technology focus, while
owners and other management-level stakeholders may be primarily concerned with the project
development side.
© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
...4
Finally, find the best vendors
Do your research
Put some time into finding the best
vendors for your specific product offering.
Ignore the buzzwords, and focus on the
facts: Compare price and specifications of
products against other leading manufacturers. (And remember: The lowest price is
not always your best option.) Research
important factors such as their reputation
in the industry and total years of experience. Go online to read expert product
reviews from publications such as CNET,
and then look for reviews from former and
current end-users. Finally, do some
legwork to discover how easy it is to
purchase products from and work with
each vendor. You’ll want to find manufacturers that make this process smooth and
seamless because you may be working
with them for years to come.
Next, talk to each vendor’s tech support
department. Note how much time and
effort it takes to get a technician on the
phone, and then ask him or her about
typical technical support protocol. Notice
how helpful and knowledgeable the tech
seems—these seemingly small factors
could really help or hurt your day-to-day
relationship with the company.
For hardware in particular, such as LCD
displays and mounting equipment,
comparing products and their specifications
side-by-side is especially important.
Prioritize the “Four Ps”:
Price
1 Payment terms: Are all payments due
up front, or does the vendor offer
flexible financing options?
2 Buying requirement(s): For example,
are VARs required to purchase multiple
units at once?
3 Quality for the price: Price point isn’t
always directly indicative of quality;
here is where your research on expert
and user reviews will come in handy.
Programs
1 Training: What types of product
training does the vendor offer, both for
VARs and for the end-user? This can
be a significant distinguishing factor
because high-quality training can help
make your business a success now
and for years to come.
2 Ongoing support: If you or your
customer has problems with a specific
piece of hardware, will the vendor step
in to help? Be sure to look for a manufacturer partner that will stand behind
its products and offer support when
necessary.
Process
1 How easy is it to simply work with the
vendor? How have other VARs
reviewed the company’s buying
process (including ordering, delivery,
customer service, returns, and so on)?
People
1 High-quality customer service and
support are vital in the technology
world. You should rest assured that
your company is going to be backed
up by people who actually care, so be
sure to partner with a vendor that
makes you feel heard.
© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
...5
Try the products for yourself
Although online research and phone calls
can give you insight into the quality of a
given manufacturer, nothing beats actually
working with the products yourself. When
possible, take a product for a test drive,
whether at the manufacturer’s showroom,
during a tradeshow, or through your
industry connections. Explore all its
features, the user interface, and the
design. Note all its standout features, as
well as any potential issues that emerge.
Consider how the technology would work
in the real world—especially in your
customer’s specific environment, whether
it’s a busy healthcare clinic or a small retail
boutique.
Consider partnering with a technology
distributor
Today, many VARs benefit from partnering
with a technology distributor, which can
help ensure you have access to the
highest-quality products and are connected
with the industry’s best manufacturers.
With the support of a distributor, your
relationships with leading vendors are
already solidified, and you can rest
assured that you will have the service and
support you need to be successful.
Another benefit lies in the research phase.
Technology distributors take product and
manufacturer vetting out of the equation.
These firms devote significant time and
resources to market development
research, product testing, and industry
forecasting, which means you devote less
time to identifying and vetting manufacturers
and individual products before recommending them for your own customers.
Instead, your focus can be on finding new
customers and ensuring that their pro AV
systems are meeting their unique goals.
FIND A PARTNER
In the dynamic, fast-growing pro AV market, it’s
important to develop a strong understanding of
your customer’s challenges and goals, as well as
the technologies that can help them succeed. By
partnering with a reputable technology distributor
with plenty of pro AV experience, you will be
connected with industry-leading manufacturers
and the best-in-class products your customers
require—while enabling yourself to focus on
growing your business.
Look for a technology distributor that is wellestablished in the pro AV field and is backed by
leading manufacturers. With the right distributor
partnership, your business will be wellpositioned for success, both today and for
years to come.
ABOUT INGRAM
MICRO INC.
Irvine, Calif.-based Ingram Micro Inc. is the leading
technology distributor within the pro AV and digital
signage market, offering a unified line card that
features the most comprehensive portfolio of
in-demand and emerging pro AV and digital signage
products and solutions. Ingram Micro’s Pro AV and
Digital Signage business unit (BU) offers channel
partners, AV professionals, and vendors specialized
partner support and business enablement resources,
as well as access to a dedicated team of seasoned
marketing, sales, business development, and
technology professionals.
© 2016 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
...6
RESOURCES
http://www.infocomm.org/cps/rde/xchg/infocomm/hs.xsl/40052.htm
http://www.ingrammicroadvisor.com/
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© 2015 Ingram Micro Inc. All rights reserved. Ingram Micro and the Ingram Micro logo are trademarks used
under license by Ingram Micro Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies.
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