Comments on: Cloud Partners: A New Breed of VAR http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/08/cloud-partners-a-new-breed-of-var/ What's Next In the IT Channel Sun, 21 Mar 2010 04:53:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: The Real Cloud Opportunity for VARs: PaaS | SaaSBuzz.com - The SaaS Review Community http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/08/cloud-partners-a-new-breed-of-var/comment-page-1/#comment-106655 The Real Cloud Opportunity for VARs: PaaS | SaaSBuzz.com - The SaaS Review Community Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:50:36 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3771#comment-106655 [...] that application in a way that adds the most immediate value to the business.  As Heather Margolis pointed out in July 2009, SaaS will drive the emergence of a new type of partner, who has strong business [...] [...] that application in a way that adds the most immediate value to the business.  As Heather Margolis pointed out in July 2009, SaaS will drive the emergence of a new type of partner, who has strong business [...]

]]> By: Derek http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/08/cloud-partners-a-new-breed-of-var/comment-page-1/#comment-105265 Derek Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:15:24 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3771#comment-105265 Heather, I believe you've hit the nail on the head from 1,000 feet. VARs need to reset how they go about offering cloud solutions including going nationwide or international, offering add-on services, and taking a vertical approach to their solutions offerings. What is definitely coming are cloud and SaaS application solutions that offer a high margin on what seems to be a commodity product. Cloud application platform vendors need to look at trading their margins for install base to make it attractive for VARs to take advantage of the opportunities and reward them for being early adopters. Heather, I believe you’ve hit the nail on the head from 1,000 feet. VARs need to reset how they go about offering cloud solutions including going nationwide or international, offering add-on services, and taking a vertical approach to their solutions offerings.

What is definitely coming are cloud and SaaS application solutions that offer a high margin on what seems to be a commodity product. Cloud application platform vendors need to look at trading their margins for install base to make it attractive for VARs to take advantage of the opportunities and reward them for being early adopters.

]]> By: Heather K. Margolis http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/08/cloud-partners-a-new-breed-of-var/comment-page-1/#comment-103818 Heather K. Margolis Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:10:25 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3771#comment-103818 Scott, Good to know! Did you see the same type of interaction with other such verticals (banking, marketing consultants, health care suppliers)? You mentioned the other very important variable in the cloud equation; the relationship between the traditional VAR and these vertical partners. The VARs that embrace this relationship will do very well. Heather Scott,

Good to know! Did you see the same type of interaction with other such verticals (banking, marketing consultants, health care suppliers)?

You mentioned the other very important variable in the cloud equation; the relationship between the traditional VAR and these vertical partners. The VARs that embrace this relationship will do very well.

Heather

]]> By: Scott Lewis http://www.thevarguy.com/2009/07/08/cloud-partners-a-new-breed-of-var/comment-page-1/#comment-103815 Scott Lewis Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:55:23 +0000 http://www.thevarguy.com/?p=3771#comment-103815 Heather, about 20 years ago, when I was a Novell partner in CT, I had great partnerships with several local accountants who recommended accounting software and did all the configuration. We did the install,networking, etc. but when it was time to build the chart of accounts, the CPA took over. The big 10 (8, 6, ?) had to stop doing this and split their businesses into two because of regulation but the smaller accountants never stopped as far as I know. So I agree with your assessment of what's happening now but suggest also that it is not new. Cloud streamlines it though. Scott Heather, about 20 years ago, when I was a Novell partner in CT, I had great partnerships with several local accountants who recommended accounting software and did all the configuration. We did the install,networking, etc. but when it was time to build the chart of accounts, the CPA took over.

The big 10 (8, 6, ?) had to stop doing this and split their businesses into two because of regulation but the smaller accountants never stopped as far as I know.

So I agree with your assessment of what’s happening now but suggest also that it is not new. Cloud streamlines it though.

Scott

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