Five ways to build customer loyalty

The security channel continues to evolve, and like every life form that has come before us, you either adapt or you die. Unfortunately many security VARs will die because adapting is hard. But it doesn't have to be that way. Customers are your lifeblood -- treat them well and you'll prosper. Don't treat them well and you won't. Simple enough, right?

Simple to say, but hard to do. Why? Because there are always demands that drive us to do things that may not be in the best interest of our customers. In one way or another, many VARs opt to take the money that manufacturers throw their way, regardless of what's right for the customer.

Remember, most manufacturers don't care about your customers. They pay the requisite lip service, but then they hit and run. They try to sell some gear, get some lift and get acquired by Cisco or Symantec. It's scary, but that is a realistic business model nowadays. And guess who is left holding the bag? Right. You and your grumpy customer.

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So how do you avoid this situation? Though these five tips are mostly common sense, it takes focus and commitment to make them part of your corporate culture and to live them every day. These ideals may result in short term pain, but will provide long term gain. Kind of like exercise.

Of course, most of these just seem like "doing the right thing," which they are. Try to do the right thing every day, and the rest will work itself out. It's funny how that happens. But I'm not done yet, here is one more for good measure.

So that's it. Doesn't seem that hard, now does it?

About the author
Mike Rothman is president and principal analyst of Security Incite, an industry analyst firm in Atlanta, and the author of The Pragmatic CSO: 12 Steps to Being a Security Master. Get more information about the Pragmatic CSO at http://www.pragmaticcso.com, read his blog at http://blog.securityincite.com, or reach him via e-mail at mike.rothman (at) securityincite (dot) com.