Wasp Barcode Launches New Channel Program

"We tripled our staff in our VAR program. We've always pushed products through the channel, but we made a strategic decision to formalize the program because this will be our highest growth area for years to come. It's exciting to get this. We didn't budget [VAR growth] at 38 percent but it's something I hope we see lot more of," said Brian Sutter, director of marketing at Wasp.

Wasp expects about $21 million in sales this year and has about 3,000 channel partners. The problem for the company was that many of them only buy a couple of times a year and were not really engaged with Wasp.

In its first year, Wasp hand-selected a few dozen VARs for its Premier program to sell its flagship inventory control, asset tracking, point-of-sale, and time and attendance solutions, which includes everything from the software to hardware, ribbons and cables. Year to date, Wasp's revenue is up 12 percent but sales through Premier partners has increased 38 percent.

The Premier program won't be easy to get into, but all partners get more benefits than in the past, said Dylan Schafer, channel sales manager, at, Wasp Barcode Technologies.

"We're always looking to expand and recruit, but to move from Fast Start [an introductory channel program] into Premier Partner, that's going to be a big deal," Schafer said.

To re-engage with VARs, Wasp is offering free training, free leads and 30-day return policies, Sutter said.

"We're looking for them to invest in us and we will build business around them," Sutter said.

Wasp previously had a WaspLink partner program but it offered no real benefits to VARs, Schafer admitted.

"[It] was an umbrella network of all resellers. Anyone who wanted to be part of the network, we did some lead distribution for them. But if we didn't hear from you, we probably wouldn't send leads your way. There was no set program there, no benefits, no margin rebates," Schafer said.

To qualify to receive leads each month from the company (not just Premier Partners get those), VARs need to have sales reps certified, for free after Web-based training, Schafer said.

"We've given out over 15,000 [leads] year to date. Some of bigger Premier Partners get more than 1,000 leads from us. It's more organized and we feel we've gone in the right direction," he said.

Early next year, Wasp intends to add more benefits such as a revamped partner portal and a site to do lead follow-up and special pricing requests, Schafer said. "We're trying to strengthen our relationships [with partners]. There's big stuff coming," he said.