Comments on: Little worm on a big hook http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/ Geek in the city Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:31:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris Timm http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-49 Chris Timm Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:40:47 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-49 Rob, Great post.. 2010 is the year I have been doing the very same thing, its all about relationships. I always buy from the small guys when I can rather than the big guys. Its all about the go giver mentality.. Rob,
Great post.. 2010 is the year I have been doing the very same thing, its all about relationships. I always buy from the small guys when I can rather than the big guys. Its all about the go giver mentality..

]]> By: Mike Jones http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-48 Mike Jones Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:55:17 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-48 @Rob - certainly didn't feel "bashed" and if you were we probably deserve it! Yes - a two-tier distribution channel has its challenges, especially around picking VAD's where the V actually means something. Many decisions are beyond me but I do everything I can to lobby for them to be made with you guys in mind. I'll be in contact directly around getting your feedback on some plans. Mike @Rob – certainly didn’t feel “bashed” and if you were we probably deserve it!

Yes – a two-tier distribution channel has its challenges, especially around picking VAD’s where the V actually means something. Many decisions are beyond me but I do everything I can to lobby for them to be made with you guys in mind.

I’ll be in contact directly around getting your feedback on some plans.

Mike

]]> By: James Cole http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-47 James Cole Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:25:42 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-47 Rob, Many thanks for the kind words re myself and Security IP. We really do appreciate them. Having worked in other disti's who expect you to make umpteen calls per hour to produce a revenue figure at the end of each second/minute/hour/day etc it has always been the focus of Security IP to work with and (hopefully) listen to our customers regardless of who or how big they are. The least we can do is give our customers thetime of day! I do appreciate the recognition. Thanks James Rob,

Many thanks for the kind words re myself and Security IP. We really do appreciate them.

Having worked in other disti’s who expect you to make umpteen calls per hour to produce a revenue figure at the end of each second/minute/hour/day etc it has always been the focus of Security IP to work with and (hopefully) listen to our customers regardless of who or how big they are.

The least we can do is give our customers thetime of day!

I do appreciate the recognition.

Thanks

James

]]> By: robfranklin http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-46 robfranklin Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:21:35 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-46 @Richard, as always Ric thanks for the feedback. Its always good to know what I write makes sense! @Tim, thanks for commenting! As a small reseller it is difficult for us to compete with the 'mail order' society that we are in. This is one of the reasons why, when I set the business up, I didn't try to push the supply of hardware. There is simply no way to compete. The interesting thing is that it we are being asked more to supply the goods as most clients don't want the hassle of ordering it themselves. @mike, great to hear from you. Please don't think this was a 'bashing' session as that wasn't the case. I truely believe that there are vendors and distributors out there wanting to engage small resellers fully but neither party has made the first step yet, thats what this post was about. I also think that some of the small resellers may find it difficult fully engage larger companies such as yourselves and the big disty's because they are small they may not think that "you" would be interested without actually asking first. Really great to hear Symantec engaging the small resellers, I would be really interested in speaking with someone about the new products coming out from you guys if you could put me in touch :-) As for 'following' me, consider yourself counter-followed :-) @Richard, as always Ric thanks for the feedback. Its always good to know what I write makes sense!

@Tim, thanks for commenting! As a small reseller it is difficult for us to compete with the ‘mail order’ society that we are in. This is one of the reasons why, when I set the business up, I didn’t try to push the supply of hardware. There is simply no way to compete. The interesting thing is that it we are being asked more to supply the goods as most clients don’t want the hassle of ordering it themselves.

@mike, great to hear from you. Please don’t think this was a ‘bashing’ session as that wasn’t the case. I truely believe that there are vendors and distributors out there wanting to engage small resellers fully but neither party has made the first step yet, thats what this post was about. I also think that some of the small resellers may find it difficult fully engage larger companies such as yourselves and the big disty’s because they are small they may not think that “you” would be interested without actually asking first. Really great to hear Symantec engaging the small resellers, I would be really interested in speaking with someone about the new products coming out from you guys if you could put me in touch :-)

As for ‘following’ me, consider yourself counter-followed :-)

]]> By: Mike Jones http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-45 Mike Jones Sun, 28 Feb 2010 15:34:19 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-45 I work with Symantec and you'd probably call us a "big vendor". I was having a very similar conversation with one of my colleagues the other day who is very senior in our Channel Marketing team. He was telling me that he drew a circle 10 miles around his house and then called up every "small" reseller within that location and asked if they would mind spending time with him to talk about doing business with us. Almost all said "Yeah sure, but you're not going to like what you hear"! However, he did and got some great feedback which he's seeking to put into action. Hopefully those resellers and others if they read this will realise that we're not all sitting there in our ivory tower trying to concoct strategies to make your interactions with us harder and harder but actually are interested in your growing your businesses. The very fact I came here from a link from Richard Tubb, who I follow on Twitter, precisely because he posts or links to stuff that makes me think, tells you there's at least two us in Symantec. I'm now following you too ... man that sounds creepy. I work with Symantec and you’d probably call us a “big vendor”. I was having a very similar conversation with one of my colleagues the other day who is very senior in our Channel Marketing team. He was telling me that he drew a circle 10 miles around his house and then called up every “small” reseller within that location and asked if they would mind spending time with him to talk about doing business with us. Almost all said “Yeah sure, but you’re not going to like what you hear”! However, he did and got some great feedback which he’s seeking to put into action. Hopefully those resellers and others if they read this will realise that we’re not all sitting there in our ivory tower trying to concoct strategies to make your interactions with us harder and harder but actually are interested in your growing your businesses.

The very fact I came here from a link from Richard Tubb, who I follow on Twitter, precisely because he posts or links to stuff that makes me think, tells you there’s at least two us in Symantec.

I’m now following you too … man that sounds creepy.

]]> By: Tim Long http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Tim Long Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:45:00 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-44 Great story, thanks for sharing. I agree, relationships with the smaller distributors and personal relationships are key for a smaller IT company. I've found that the larger distributors just don't want to know us - and why would they? Even the supposedly SmallBiz-Friendly distributors like West Coast are outrageously difficult to work with when you're a small concern. eBuyer, as you correctly noted, are way easier to deal with and just as cheap. I can often buy Dell equipment from eBuyer for less than Dell will sell it to me, even after my partner discount! So, I try to work with others in the Small Business Specialist Community - people like Vlad Mazek over at Own Web Now. They are more helpful and you can actually get to talk to "the main man" when you have an issue. Thanks, Tim Long [SBS MVP] Great story, thanks for sharing. I agree, relationships with the smaller distributors and personal relationships are key for a smaller IT company. I’ve found that the larger distributors just don’t want to know us – and why would they? Even the supposedly SmallBiz-Friendly distributors like West Coast are outrageously difficult to work with when you’re a small concern. eBuyer, as you correctly noted, are way easier to deal with and just as cheap. I can often buy Dell equipment from eBuyer for less than Dell will sell it to me, even after my partner discount!

So, I try to work with others in the Small Business Specialist Community – people like Vlad Mazek over at Own Web Now. They are more helpful and you can actually get to talk to “the main man” when you have an issue.

Thanks,
Tim Long [SBS MVP]

]]> By: Richard Tubb http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Richard Tubb Sun, 28 Feb 2010 13:31:26 +0000 http://www.freethecityone.co.uk/2010/02/little-worm-on-a-big-hook/#comment-43 As you rightly say, it's all about relationships. Great blog post Rob! As you rightly say, it’s all about relationships. Great blog post Rob!

]]>