The Affinity Index included 15 criteria and asked solution providers to rank them in terms of importance. That vendor projects achieve their targets was the most commonly cited important factor (weighted 14 percent of the total score), followed closely by end customer brand preference (12 percent) and sales training sessions required (11 percent). Relative profitability with a vendor was among VARs' least valuable criteria (weighing in at 4 percent), but the least important included that vendors support joint sales calls (2 percent), that technical training sessions are required (2 percent) and the likeliness that the end user is willing to pay a brand premium (3 percent).
Marc Wolfe, CEO of solution provider ProActive, added that some display vendors have become disconnected with the channel and he wishes they realized the value companies like his can provide, even to enterprises.
"When they get to such a large stature they deal with only the largest enterprise accounts, and we deal with the enterprise market but try to deal with solutions as if they're a small division inside that enterprise," he said. "I'd like more of our [vendor] partners to appreciate that."
