Susanne Dansey’s Blog

You have to be impressed by the Geek Squad, they go directly against what many Microsoft SBSC Consultants stand for.

Definition of a geek:

“It could be said that the particular interests of nerds are of practical nature (like math, physics, astronomy), while those of geeks are often considered trivial but entertaining.” Here is another definition of a geek.

So, here’s definition of a consultant:

“Management consulting (which comprises strategy consulting and operations consulting) refers to both the practice of helping companies to improve performance through analysis of existing business problems and development of future plans, as well as to the industry composed of firms that specialize in this sort of consulting”.

So who are you? Hopefully you’re a bit of both with a dash of nerd?

Still worried about Geek Squad playing in your sand pit?

For many months now, the likes of Geek Squad, Tech Guys, BT, and Dell have been peering over from their play pits and looking into that of the consultant that specialises in helping and supporting small businesses. Every so often, the conversation comes up where an SBSC has been approached as part of their recruitment process and not with overwhelming success. Good or bad? How is it that they know who to approach? What is their motivation?

The big guys who are buying up IT consultants maybe going the wrong way about it. They look around to see if they can find a few one man bands who are trying to survive and take advantage of their weaknesses (perhaps not enough customers, not a good business model, not enough confidence) and promise them things they feel they lack. From what I have seen, it just hasn’t worked so far… why? Because Small Business Specialists (Microsoft accredited or not) are proud of what they have achieved so far and don’t want to lose their sense of individualism into a big machine.

Tim commented on this a few weeks back and pointed out how even partnering with other businesses was a task in itself sometimes.

You see, it’s okay to be a geek, it’s okay to not have all the skills you need to run your own business but still be the one with the technical know-how. It’s okay to work for a big organisation that can take care of you as long as you get some ‘wins’ in the process. But when you have started up a business of your own, sat down with your family and told them what you want to do, spent endless nights trying to get not only the technical side right, but also the business angle correct; letting your status go in exchange for a white shirt, black tie, and ‘geek’ badge could feel like you’re selling your soul to the devil.

Don’t fear the unknown though. Many have booed at the big guys coming into play within the SMB market. The truth is that the Small Business Market, regardless of who defines its size, is big enough for everyone. There are clear advantages for businesses to partner with the big boys and as you move down the size of provider, it’s easier for the big vendors to work closer with them i.e. Microsoft Gold Partners right down to Registered Partners. For every Small Business Partner out there, there is a Small Business customer needing to hear from that company that they’ve been where they want to go, they’ve seen the problems and know how to overcome them. It’s called empathy and it’s a powerful thing to have. Combine that with trust and some of the other things I’ve listed in my recent presentations and you have as good a sales pitch (if not better) than any of the big boys out there.

The big guys make real differences in the markets, they buy up huge amounts of ‘tin’ and licences and at the end of the day, it is money that makes businesses tick. If they focus their energy on small business, then more focus from the big vendors will be generated which means that the rest of us can pick on the bits we want and get on with our day jobs.

It’s our day job that has the clear advantage over the big guys. It’s why we do what we do and they do what they do.

If a job offer from one of the big guys seems a far better offer than the business you run today then you need to take a long hard look at where you are and where you want to go in life. Some of us aren’t built to run our own businesses despite the fact that we like to be our own bosses.

But if you love your business and still see the big guys as a threat, then you need to have a good think about why your customers pick you and stick with you. Hopefully, it isn’t just about price and I really hope it’s not because you say ‘how high?!’ when they ask you to jump.

Don’t fear what you don’t know - check out what the competition is up to. They do and it’s a good learning exercise to see how the other half live!

Most Partners I know out their buy their ‘tin’ and software from competitors out there (Misco, Insight, Dabs, eBuyer etc…) already so realising the impact this has is more important than thinking about the effect they have without your help! One of the conversations I have over and over again is that if you buy through these guys, you fuel their fires, remove traceability as a Microsoft Partner (if you buy and sell software) and in turn make it difficult for vendors to understand and quantify the value of our Community as a business proposition which they continue to sponsor. Many profitable Partners I know don’t have customers who force them down to the last penny and have the ability to walk away from deals that don’t make them money - honestly, it can be done!

Why am I going on about this again? I’ve started to see an increased number of PCWorld adverts with a ‘don’t forget about our Tech Guys!’ at the end of most of their evening adverts and I know a few SBSC Partners who have been approached by the Geek Squad recruitment team already. They may not be making huge in-roads into our Community but if someone can find a reseller on the former bcentral Partner Directory and spend £35k just like that, then there are many more businesses out there ready to spend that sort of money with whoever asks nicely for it.

You’ve just got to get in front of them, that is if you’re looking for new business, and if not? Then you need to make sure you’ve got your existing customer well and truely in love with you.