[asterisk-biz] Not one to bitch and moan, but...

[Paul]

It's a case of how big you want your slice of the pie to be. Some of us
are very happy in that we can buy software and hardware components as an
OEM and create unique branded products. That provides the biggest pie
slice. From there you can look for vendors that offer more and more
"turnkey business" features in the reseller plans. You go to far in that
direction and your own business starts looking like a clone copy of
their other resellers. Smallest piece of the pie is when you just take a
commission and let the vendor handle everything - even the installation.
That leaves you still hungry.

I think all the options are out there for you. Nothing to bitch and moan
about. It's just a matter of searching harder and spending a lot of time
analyzing the options available to you. Nothing new under the sun here.
For years, people with cash/credit bought franchises to bypass a lot of
the mental toil needed to plan a new business.

Kim C. Callis wrote:

> I was thinking about all of the Digium products that I have either
> bought for clients or have had the client purchase equipment from
> Digium, and realized that while there is a big push for reseller and
> distributors, there is nothing in place for the, for want of better
> word, interconnect. I find myself jumping on the web, looking at
> Digium's site for general pricing, and then playing the hunt for what
> reseller is going to provide me with the best price. I would be nice
> if there could be some formalized synthesis between the reseller and
> the consultants.
>
> Right now, most consultants more or less stumble into an opportunity.
> Asterisk has become the watch word as a ton of sometimes clueless CIO
> types attempt to see how Asterisk fits into the equation. When I go
> out to pitch a deal, I have to develop my own marketing crap, go and
> seek out the biggest bang for the smallest buck, and pull rabbits out
> of my hat. I would really be nice is I could get some of the benefit
> that Digium offers to resellers and distributors... The reason I bring
> all of this up is because I went to see what would be needed to get a
> reseller relationship with Digium. As I started looking at the Q&A, I
> realized that I would not fit in any sort of way in their
> requirements. I was also looked at another company (who does not sell
> any Digium items), which does allow for consultants to receive
> discounts, does provide some marketing  materials, and gives priority
> for support.
>
> Without being arrogant, to some degree, it is the consultants that
> create the need for Digium hardware! There needs to be some program in
> place that recognizes that need and creates a program that will
> support the consultants.
>
> Just my $0.02 and anyone is will argue this point... Or not! :)
>
>
> -- 
> Kim C. Callis
> kim.callis at gmail.com <mailto:kim.callis at gmail.com>
> _____________________________________
> "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
> butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance
> accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,
> give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
> problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight
> efficiently and die gallantly.
> Specialization is for insects!"
> -- Robert A. Heinlein
>
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