Time To Define

Like many other terms associated with the high-tech industry, this once-descriptive noun has become a catch-all to mean just about anything. So we say we're looking for a solution for diverting raindrops when what we really want is an umbrella.

In a sense, this broad acceptance of the term solution is a good thing because customers are embracing the notion that stand-alone products just won't cut it when they're trying to solve a business problem. That puts the average reseller,or solution provider, if you will,further along the path to becoming a trusted adviser. But what type of solution is the average VAR or systems integrator actually providing?

To hear Cisco executives tell it last week at their annual partner conference, too few channel partners have actually taken the leap into offering full-blown solutions. In their minds, many members of the Cisco certified partner ranks are stellar at technology integration, but they haven't layered business-process consulting on top of this skill set,something integral to the creation of a true business solution that solves a real business problem.

During his keynote address at the summit last week, Cisco President and CEO John Chambers cited research that shows businesses can achieve a 25 percent to 30 percent productivity increase when it comes to handling some processes,if their technology partner first thinks about how to change that process up front. But if a company tries to solve a problem by throwing technology at it, the installation will inevitably result in a productivity decrease.

As CRN Senior Editor Jennifer Hagendorf Follett writes in our cover story, Cisco is trying to nip this trend in the bud by focusing on incentive programs to help boost partner profitability in advanced technologies,in turn, allowing VARs to invest in developing industry-specific applications and other value-added services. In fiscal-year 2005, the vendor even plans to adopt a Solutions Incentive Program, which is, as yet, undefined.

Even if you're not a Cisco partner, now is the time to define your solution proposition. Sure, there are probably many products at the foundation of what you deliver, but in the end, it's the combination of products and process that counts.