Hatton argues that by carrying only non-competing products, this allows the distributor to fully tailor and focus its support and training to a particular vendor's offering. For example, Sphinx has a dedicated team to assist Alcatel-Lucent resellers with business development activities such as marketing initiatives and training programmes, as well as with pre- and post-sales technical support. Furthermore, Hatton suggests that distributors can differentiate themselves to a greater extent by having a focused number of resellers who are proactive and committed to a vendors' products rather than trying to get every available partner onboard.
According to Hatton, distributors should also ensure they supply a complete and end-to-end portfolio of solutions so that resellers have the ability to mix and match solutions to best meet varying customer needs. In this way distributors can help resellers deliver solutions that provide true value and choice to end users, and ultimately boost their revenues.