Who You Callin’ a ‘Paper Pusher’?

A recent article/blog from Channel Insider, a VAR-focused trade pub, discussed how hosted IT services were driving vendors to offer indirect channel opportunities using a different model – the agent model.

The author, Lawrence Walsh, writes: “The indirect sales model developing is one of an agent, where solution providers’ role is little than a paper pusher, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

That little jab – paper pusher – has been bothering me for days since I read it, so I’m here to ask: What are agents, chopped liver? The red-headed stepchildren of the channel? Can’t get no respect?

Later in the article Walsh describes what agents do: Agent-based sales of services is akin to the system used by auto, property and life insurance companies for decades. The local agent – operating as a representative of the vendor – advises local customers on the types of services available, helps build and selects the package, processes the paperwork, and hands off to the carrier for services delivery and management. For their effort, agents receive a commission.

Essentially, this is not wrong, but I feel it is not adequate to describe the modern telecom agent. Long-distance agents of days gone by? You bet. But, I just feel like this perception sells it short. Am I wrong?

Maybe there are agents out there that are simply paper pushers, but I gather most of them were weeded out long ago when the complexity of the telecom environment required them to have a good understanding of LAN/WAN, voice/data, services/gear as well as customer business processes/objectives in order to make appropriate recommendations as to the most cost-effective (and usually multivendor) communications solution. (Hmmm. It sounds a lot like a “solutions provider,” Larry.)

Isn’t this why some carriers started courting VARs? They wanted agents that were tech-savvy? Ironically, many techy VARs and PBX dealers don’t even want to learn the WAN stuff and just like to throw those deals “over the fence,” which is great for the carrier/reseller/agent that signs them up first.

Agents have a very particular skill set and experience that helps them to know which services and which providers are best for which customer situation. (Dare I invoke the overused “solution selling” mantra?” Moreover, they know how to get customers provisioned successfully and how to get them help when things inevitably break. Their carrier babysitting skills are well-honed.

I think the VARs, with their IT background, certainly will do more than push paper for the MSPs for whom they become agents. Certainly, they will know the ins and outs of the platforms used for delivery right out of the gate. What will come with time is that familiarity with cost and performance levels of these nascent providers. I, for one, think that has more value than simply order taking.

I don’t know about you, but I think the agent model could use a little more respect ... and perhaps a good PR makeover.