7 Ways To Grow In A Down Economy

Almost half of VAR respondents overall said improving customer service was vital during the next 12 months. Hypergrowth VARs found it even more important: 57 percent considered it crucial and 55 percent of growth VARs agreed.

"Customer care is critical to our business in any economic climate; however, in a recession, staying close to your customers is probably the most important thing your company can do," said Dan DiSano, CEO of New York-based Axispoint Inc. (2008 VARBusiness 500 rank: 481). "Though you are always searching for business with new clients, your current customers are your lifeblood and growth begins with them."

Knowing what technologies will benefit the customer's business -- before they realize it themselves -- is key.

To that end, Symantec Corp., Cupertino, Calif., last fall launched SymBrain, an online tool that helps VARs create an upgrade road map for their customers. "The VAR can key specific terms into SymBrain, like server consolidation, OS migration, server migration," said Randy Cochran, vice president of channel sales for the Americas. "SymBrain comes back with qualified products and the questions you should be asking as well as white papers and other things to make a presentation. So the partner can go back to the customer and have a discussion to set the stage as to what they can sell them in the next six months."

6. Invest In Training

Although many VARs will increase their training efforts, doing so can eat into the budget. Thirty-nine percent of VARs overall said they consider technical training a critical growth factor, and 31 percent said the same of sales training. Still, VARs are wary of spending on travel and on anything that doesn't directly benefit their bottom line. And vendors hear them.

"HP has developed a new program that ultimately reduces out-of-office time, but still offers appropriate mindshare," Spence said.

7. Manage Your Vendors

While the days of "captive" solution providers are largely gone, VARs do still have go-to suppliers they can count on for price breaks, technical help and financial assistance. Managing vendor relationships was considered a critical factor by 38 percent of solution providers.