PRINTITRESELLER.UK 29 Those vendors that are easy to work with, transparent in how they operate and consistent in delivery are ultimately the ones that partners are more willing to stand behind. Trust as a long-term advantage As technology continues to evolve, the gap between competing solutions is likely to narrow further. That means trust will only become more important. For the channel, this presents a clear opportunity. Partners who prioritise trusted relationships, both with vendors and with customers, are better positioned to move beyond transactional sales and build long-term value. In a market where customers are looking to reduce risk as much as they are looking to improve performance, trust is the currency that underpins every decision, every recommendation and every long-term relationship, just as our research shows. And for those in the channel, it is fast becoming the most valuable asset they have. The full findings are available in Brother UK’s Tech Trust Index report: https://www.brother.co.uk/businesssolutions/trust 24% more for a brand they trust over a lesser known or trusted alternative. Channel partners estimate that this trust premium is even higher, at around 28%. At the same time, the research reinforces the role of the channel in shaping those decisions. 92% of partners say customers rely on them to validate whether a vendor can be trusted, while 82% say some vendors are simply too difficult to sell due to low levels of customer trust. Taken together, this points to a clear reality - trust is influencing not just what customers buy, but what partners are willing to recommend in the first place. Trust is now a commercial driver If trust is now a commercial driver, the next question is how to earn it and, just as importantly, how to keep it. The research shows that trust is built on consistent delivery of the fundamentals. Dependability (83%) and product capability (80%) are the strongest drivers, reflecting the importance of products doing what they’re supposed to do, when they’re supposed to do it. But beyond the product itself, trust is reinforced through the full customer experience. Clear and transparent pricing helps to remove uncertainty. Reliable support ensures issues are resolved quickly and without friction. And consistency over time builds confidence that the relationship will hold up under pressure. Equally, the research highlights how quickly trust can be lost. Unreliable products (49%), poor support (34%) and hidden fees (32%) are the biggest trust breakers, all of which point back to gaps between expectation and delivery. For resellers, this has a direct impact on vendor choice. Recommending a solution is about meeting technical requirements and being confident that the overall experience will match what’s been promised. Print buyers can often find it hard to distinguish which vendor is going to meet their needs best. Product specifications can be comparable, pricing is competitive and buyers are under pressure to make the right decision first time. In that environment, confidence matters more than ever. And that confidence is shaped by the trust buyers have in their partners and vendors. Our latest research, the Tech Trust Index, shows that trust has become the real currency of building long-term business relationships. It’s what gives customers the confidence to commit, and what enables partners to stand behind their recommendations. Nearly three quarters (74%) of IT decision-makers now say emotional factors like trust matter more than cost or specifications when choosing technology. A similar proportion (72%) say trust matters more today than it did five years ago. A significant shift For the channel, that shift is significant. When products look similar on paper, deals will be determined by the buyers’ gut feeling. Dealmaking teams need to win over hearts as well as minds, combining trust with strong value and performance. Our Tech Trust Index highlights just how central trust has become to the buying process. For channel partners, the emphasis is even stronger. More than nine in ten (91%) say trust in a vendor matters more than price or specifications when making recommendations. That plays out most clearly in competitive deals. When technical differences are difficult to compare, 88% of partners say trust becomes the deciding factor, acting as the tie-breaker when everything else looks equal. Trust is also directly linked to commercial outcomes. Nearly nine in ten buyers (88%) say they have paid more for technology from a vendor they trust. On average, buyers say they’d pay Greig Millar, Chief Revenue Officer, Brother UK explains why trust is now shaping technology buying decisions and what that means for resellers looking to build long-term customer relationships Trust is becoming the channel’s most valuable asset TECH TRUST INDEX Greig Millar
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDUxNDM=