Can Selling Connectivity Solutions Give You More "Account Control"?

B2B IT resellers and integrators know that most of the devices and solutions they sell are only as good as their ability to connect—to the Internet, cloud software, local servers, other devices, tracking systems, sensors, data centers, payment processors, ERP, WMS, MDM, EMR, POS, AI, LANs, WANs, etc. Without connectivity, even the coolest gadget is no better than a brick for businesses that need fast, reliable data, analytics, and insights to provide the best customer experience, keep their business safe, secure, and efficient, and maintain a competitive edge in their market.

So why are you giving ground to cellular carriers who could undo your hard work to sell purpose-built, business-ready solutions by offering cheap, consumer-grade devices alongside their plans? BlueStar's new Director of Networking and Connectivity, Jim Hilton, shared that experience on a recent episode of the BlueStar Nation Podcast.

"I personally have lost a deal on the hardware side. We had a phenomenal meeting. We verbally were told that we won the business. We were high-fiving in the parking lot. All they had to do was reach out to the carrier the next day and set up connectivity. That carrier said 'Well, why are you paying for that industrial-grade device that you just committed to? Why don't you take this free phone?'" - Jim Hilton, Director of Networking & Connectivity - BlueStar

Connectivity Challenges

BlueStar is tackling cellular connectivity by addressing common challenges with carrier network gaps as businesses cross country, state, and sometimes intrastate coverage lines to offer multi-carrier or business-specific options. Dave Farquharson, CEO of one of our new connectivity partners, iONLINE, was also on the podcast to explain.

"The way we deliver connectivity to our devices will eventually become completely virtualized. You won't have to get a modem from somebody...it'll just be embedded. Some of the complexities that partners and companies are struggling with is the lack of interoperability between carriers. So now you've got all this really cool tech, but you've got AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon...which one do you pick? How do you pick? Because the coverage maps aren't always correct either. [...] So now you're in a situation where you're driving through Arizona but there's no coverage, or you're trying to put down stores and there's no coverage. Interoperability between carriers is going to be one of the biggest issues." - Dave Farquharson, Founder & CEO - iONLINE

What do these traditional connectivity options ultimately mean for enterprises?

1. Unreliable Coverage/Dead Spots—As Dave noted, using a single carrier is only as good as its coverage, restricting where a business can operate and grow.
2. Data Waste/Overage—An eternal struggle with traditional carrier plans is how much data to buy. Too little, and they'll get slapped with overages, and too much, and they're leaving data (and money) on the table.
3. Managing Multiple Plans—It quickly becomes difficult to sort out and manage options by device/location, and costs can spiral.

"To we consumers, that's just an annoyance. 'I'm going to drive a few miles and I'll have a signal.' [...] There's so much technology that's happening in a vehicle, or in the warehouse, or a retail operaion, that if connectivity goes away for even just a minute or two, there's maybe a liability problem. There's safety issues. If the WiFi goes out on the POS system and I have 12 people in line... The idea of continual connectivity is absolutely critical."

Scalable Connectivity Solutions

Leaving connectivity to the carriers can turn your business-changing solution into another headache for end-users, which could reflect poorly on you and your hardware/software partners, regardless of the real issue. A single, reliable connectivity solution built around their needs and your technology will deliver multiple benefits.

1. Data Pooling—Managing all connectivity across all device SIMs to share data and minimize overages and waste.
2. Flexibility—Auto-switch carriers to utilize the best coverage with no roaming.
3. Centralized Management—One platform to manage all carriers with real-time monitoring, usage alerts, and controls to prevent unexpected fees.

What's In It For You?

Jim believes that adding connectivity solutions to your portfolio provides more "account control" as a one-stop shop for all aspects of an opportunity. Thanks to BlueStar's growing network of connectivity partners, it's also one more way to add recurring revenue to your business without becoming or adding a network expert to your team. We want to help you get there, bringing the expertise and resources, while giving you the credit!

1. Avoid Undercutting Carriers—Jim's story at the beginning is not uncommon, but when you offer pre-activated, multi-carrier SIMs or a direct carrier solution designed to meet customers' specific needs, you create a sticky, established relationship that can't be undercut by someone offering cheap devices with a cellular contract.
2. Recurring Revenue—That should perk your ears up, right? This managed service model puts regular revenue in your company's pocket by introducing your customer to our connectivity team and partners, who will provide superior service and give you a slice of the profits, or provide the product and expertise as needed to your networking team.
3. Customer Loyalty—Not only will you look like the absolute pros you are for all aspects of your customers' technology needs and deliver a more manageable, efficient use of data plans, but BlueStar's connectivity program often results in monthly rate decreases of 20% or more compared to traditional plans!

"What that's going to do is not only shorten your sales cycle because you have everything coming from BlueStar, but it provides that account control and recurring revenue for the referral fee. Our partners can bring the intellectual property, you have the customer's confidence, you're the trusted advisor. Our job is to bring solutions to that end-user."

 

"This infrastructure will fuel connectivity, fuel sales, fuel partnerships, and fuel new things that haven't been deployed before."

 

Watch the full episode to learn more about BlueStar Connectivity and iONLINE, or contact Jim Hilton to schedule a meeting about your network and connectivity needs.