The number of work from home situations due to the CoVID-19 pandemic are growing. Business owners are allowing employees to continue business activities from the safety of their homes while governments are issuing social isolation and quarantine directives. While an increasing number of businesses are facing issues with customer retention/demand and combating a worldwide economic slump, there are two industries in particular that nudge towards growing sales figures; electronic and IT retailers and manufacturers.

As of March 2020, South Korean based electronic giant Samsung reported a 20% increase in exports for semiconductors (the information chips used to keep computerised devices working). The reason for this is simple; we need the hardware!

While we attempt to recreate our working environments at home, being realistic about the components needed is crucial. From laptop and desktop computers to peripheral devices that offer networking, communication and other enabling capabilities, every work from home employee needs to be equipped to operate as close to normal output as possible.

“With more people working and learning from home during the outbreak, there has been rising demand for internet services … meaning data centres need bigger pipes to carry the traffic,” – Park Sung-Soon

The increase in telecommunication requirements from Tier 1 countries including the United States, as well as gravely affected international marketplace China is enough to drive manufacturers to start building more and building faster. Growing your business as an IT manufacturer or retailer has never been easier.

Benefits are not just capitalised on by South Korea. In Japan, laptop computer manufacturer Dynabook faced similar rises in demand due to the teleworking shift. While their rival company explains a growing want for their embedded speakers and other laptop accompaniments.

The same information was relayed by Australian electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi. They saw accelerated demand geared towards what they describe as “essential products”.

What becomes apparent is the work from home experience is no longer limited to sitting in any open spot available in your home and plonking down your computer hoping for the best.

Work from Home employees want to recreate the results they are normally able to recreate amidst all the amenities available in their work spaces. The teleworking wave wants to equip their homes leaving no room for “I wanted to do this but didn’t have…”.

The global pandemic is herding those partaking in business to keep moving. The reason is simple, most industries are dependent on each other. They work in enhancing (complementary) or offering an alternative (substitutes) for a product or service.

When a core industry breaks down, the needs for complementary or alternative products break down. As a result, customers are not only left wondering what to do next, but employees and stakeholders lose power and income to hold their companies stable.

Within China, large scale technology companies are expanding their cloud storage features to accommodate the large volumes of data exchange now happening on the internet. Other tech behemoths followed suit offering subsidized costing and even free use of their services.

The rise in the need for IT Software as well is booming. Intelligent companies realise while offering lower priced services or even free of cost services may hurt their income, they are creating something more powerful; Brand Value. Customers respond positively to companies that empathise with their shared plight. This could work well to retain customers post quarantine.

Looking to Break In?

Business owners, if you’re looking to break even or achieve profitability through the IT hardware/software industry but are unsure where to start, look towards how to sell IT hardware online. Boost growth using eCommerce sales with conversion from your brick and mortar stores.

IT hardware resellers and software retailers are making safe income using eCommerce platforms. The automation aspect of being able to purchase online minimises human contact from order placement to order delivery.

Increase online sales through offering crisp information about the changes and additions made to your business process to further ensure the wellbeing of your customers e.g. mandatory gloves, masks and sanitiser stations, sterilising all packing material, etc.

While trying to build your online presence or further validate your existing one, your purchasing portal is key. Working the way shop window displays do, the crisper and more aesthetic to look at your platform is, the more likely customers are to purchase. This includes ensuring your online presence is easy to understand, navigate and legitimate.

For those unsure of where to begin looking for the best suited platform for your business,

Take a look at the VAR business model.

The VARSTREET Difference

VARStreet is an automated sales and procurement platform that helps move your B2B, B2C and B2G transactions. It offers a customisable purchasing portal that can be customised to suit your business industry as well as incorporate niche requirements. Varstreet works with 15,000 users globally and manages over $5 billion in secured transactions annually.

The company offers a suite of software solutions to maximise your customer interactions and your business activities. These are;

1. Sales quotation Software

Used to build professional quotes that can be sent for B2B and B2G transactions. The software accommodates even complex technical specifications and offers a streamlined approach towards completing transactions.

2. eCommerce Platform

An exceptionally detail oriented yet easy to use platform. This takes customisation to the next level; offering micro and macro additions to make your storefront feel truly yours.

3. CRM Software

The Customer Relationship Management software allows critical purchasing information and trends to be relayed to your sales teams for more optimised approaches.

4. Sourcing and Procurement

Costing is an important part of sourcing. How do you ensure you are not just getting the best deal but are able to validate quality and access distributor information? VARStreet offers the simplest way to increase your profit margins; sourcing right.

5. Marketing 

Welcome your brand into the digital age of marketing with a bang! VARStreet offers the best in online marketing tools to enhance brand visibility and image. Capitalise on the email marketing, SEO and social media integration features to spread the word.

6. Reporting and Analytics

Need to understand how well your business is doing? The reporting and analytics capabilities offered by VARStreet help you keep tabs on what’s happening behind closed doors and in front of them. Use this to keep tabs on the real time facts and figures of your sales cycles and make better informed business decisions.

The comprehensive software elements allow you an in depth look into every cog functioning to run the machine that is your corporate entity. The user friendly dashboards allow even the least tech savvy to familiarize themselves with the pertinent components and how they operate.

Selling with VARStreet is not limited to their extensive software catalogue. The company offers a range of additional benefits that help both back and front end users maneuver their activities with ease.

• Sales quotations are churned out in minutes with the co-relating mobile friendly Quoting application.
• The VARStreet CRM eliminates duplication while editing data and integrating it with the quoting model. This allows sales personnel to access complete data for every account being handled.
• Hunting for distributors? It stops with VARStreet that offers a ready list of over 40 verified IT and Office Supplies distributors within the United States and Canada.
• The sourcing and procurement application allows you to maintain real time watch over distributor prices and inventory availability along with the ability to implement the necessary changes within the same portal.
• Crisp, clean and rich content is now easily achievable. VARStreet helps you integrate detailed images, technology specifications, related products, descriptions, etc. Anything you feel will enhance your customer experience, VARStreet offers.
• Truly make your eCommerce platform your own by capitalizing on the software’s overall branding capabilities. Grow your business by catering your store fronts to your clients, offering them a one of a kind experience tailor made just for them (e.g. look, feel, products, pricing, shipping and payment methods).
• Customisation extends to the workflows as well. Set up your own bundles or automated workflows to ease the complexities of staff and product management within your business.
• Ensure your business activities are compliant with your government contract. VARStreet has extensive experience with Federal, State and local governments.
• Integrate your VARStreet application with any major ERP, CRM and Accounting systems available worldwide, create your own custom business experience.
• PunchOut with major procurement systems like Ariba, SAP, JD Edwards, Oracle Financials, etc.

Read more about VARStreet Here

Capitalise on this time to boost your IT reselling platform both in terms of sales and brand value. Use the right tools to enable your vision. VARStreet is a great start. Don’t let the prevailing fear hold you back from valid (and globally helpful) business activities. The time is now!

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