VARs and Apps stores – Mutually Exclusive – NOT!

 (Part 3 of 3)

Obtaining Trusted Advisor Status

Another experience we have seen with the Autodesk Exchange Apps store is Autodesk Authorized Resellers browsing, vetting and recommending apps to their customers.  These are not apps that the Autodesk VAR is selling – but simple delightful apps that solve real customer problems right now at little to no cost.  A few Autodesk VARs are holding webinars to their current and prospective customers on Exchange Apps store apps that the VAR is confident will delight their customers.

The time a VAR needs to invest is typically quite small to learn and then present a simple delightful app.  What is a more effective way to develop a deep trusting relationship with a customer then showing them a simple and low cost apps that saves them real “production” time – right now with no risk and no fear?

Is there real money in VARs “just” educating their customers on apps they can find in the Exchange Apps store?  You bet. 

Along with the indirect value and trust the VAR develops with their current (and prospective) customers  - that is a foundation for future low cost of sales increased product and services sales – the VAR unearths deep and broad customer needs for expanded and tailored customer specific solutions.  The VAR also has learned who the best app providers are who – important when the VAR has just a small or no software development team – who they can sub-contract services to.  In addition, the VAR is in a great position to evaluate and take on sales of “big apps” from the app suppliers they have developed a relationship with through the Apps store. Like the customer, the VARs are developing no risk no fear relationships based on real experience with the app developers work – after getting first hand confirmation from their existing customers that they “want more” from their apps.

If you are an Autodesk software partner – a member of the Autodesk Developer Network – the Exchange Apps store is increasingly a powerful tool to help you develop your own VAR channel – a subset of Autodesk’s VAR channel that deliver near 70% of Autodesk’s over $2 billion annual revenue.

As an aside…

Why have I been using the term “Exchange Apps store” instead of “App Store”?  Apple is pursuing a trademark on the term “App Store”. So to avoid a legal letter from Apple on the use of the term App Store, I avoid using is to describe the Autodesk Exchange Apps store.  Amazon is fighting back on this trademark effort by Apple – claiming “app store” is a generic term that cannot be trademarked.  Google and Microsoft are already waiting on the sidelines to see if Amazon can clear the way for their using the term “app store” to describe their - and hopefully all - on-line software stores.  In the meantime, the “rest of us” sit on the sideline awaiting a conclusion of this legal tussle between technology giants.