Reseller success in the LMR industry relies on your ability to differentiate yourself from your competition. Diversifying your solution offerings from more than one manufacturer reduces your risk and increases your ability to provide innovative solutions to your customers.
Traditionally, manufacturers have provided hardware-centric solutions with software-enabled features. This means you are required to return to the manufacturer to license additional capabilities and features for additional fees, and then re-program your customer’s equipment with the new feature. This takes time and money.
As a reseller of LMR solutions, you need a variety of solutions to offer to your customers to meet their needs, and not just what one manufacturer has to offer. You want to partner with a world-class manufacturer that can deliver not only the best-in-class equipment solutions but also offer service and support opportunities such as installation, service, equipment optimization and ongoing first-tier technical support. This helps to increase your top-line revenue, spread your operating costs across an expanded revenue base and feed your bottom line.
1) Offer A Software-Driven LMR Solution
The good news is that some manufacturers in the LMR industry are moving away from the hardware-centric world and embracing an IP- and software-driven mindset, where truly open standards and flexible configurations offer solutions for customers transitioning out of legacy products.
Offering your customers a more adaptable, interoperable platform that works with their legacy infrastructure gives you a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace.
A software-centric LMR solution uses a single, software-defined radio that has multiple operating modes (P25, DMR II, and DMR III) and can be configured as simulcast, multicast or a combination of the two in one “box.” This includes the trunking switch for wide-area application, eliminating external “boxes”/switches. A software-defined solution provides flexible configuration based on the customer’s needs.
2) Provide Responsive Support For Your LMR Software Solution
Having the greatest technology in the world means nothing if you can’t deliver a seamless solution to your customers. Trust in a product and its support services is especially important for mission-critical communications when lives are on the line.
With a software-centric LMR solution, fail-overs and redundant functionalities are built into the network to ensure high availability and performance. Offering responsive, U.S.-based customer support is another key differentiator to set you apart from other resellers.
3.) Diversify And Differentiate To Formulate Your Long-Term Strategy
Major players in the LMR systems business are often restrictive and inflexible, which leaves little room for resellers to maintain control over their long-term strategies for selling solutions. Their solutions are typically “over-distributed,” leaving little opportunity for you to differentiate yourself.
By adding a unique solution to your market basket of offerings, you diversify away from excessive manufacturer control, have the ability to differentiate yourself from your competition, and may explore news ways to expand and grow your business through service support opportunities.
That’s what makes an LMR software-centric platform based on truly open standards unique. A software-defined system that is interoperable allows for a wider base of potential customers. Plus, with a flexible solution that works within the confines of your customer’s hardware-centric legacy infrastructure, you’re able to diversify and differentiate your portfolio of offerings.
Ready to learn more about software-centric LMR solutions based on open standards? Talk to a critical communications specialist today.
