INSIGHT

Why Value-Added Resellers (VARs) are Crucial for Your Business 

Bryan Rhody • September 17, 2025

Services: Sage Intacct

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When your business needs new software like an ERP system, you face a critical decision: buy directly from the vendor or work with a Value-Added Reseller (VAR). Most companies assume going straight to the source means better pricing and service, but this approach often leads to generic implementations that fail to address your specific business needs.  

Value-Added Resellers bridge this gap by combining vendor products with specialized knowledge, customized implementations, and ongoing support tailored to your industry and operational requirements.  

This article will examine how VARs differ from direct vendor relationships and why choosing the right VAR can make the difference between software that works and software that transforms your business. 

What VARs bring to your software implementation 

Value-Added Resellers take vendor products and transform them into complete business solutions. Rather than selling you software and leaving you to figure out implementation, VARs provide comprehensive services that ensure your new system actually solves your business problems. 

VARs invest heavily in understanding both the software they resell and the industries they serve. This dual focus means they can bridge the gap between what the software can do and what your business needs it to do. They handle everything from initial system design to post-implementation optimization, ensuring your investment delivers measurable results. 

How VARs transform software purchases into business solutions 

The value-addition process begins during your initial consultation and continues throughout your relationship. VARs enhance your software purchase through several critical services: 

• Industry-specific customization ensures the software aligns with your business processes rather than forcing you to change how you operate. VARs configure systems based on deep understanding of your industry’s unique requirements, compliance needs, and operational workflows.  

• Implementation and integration planning addresses the technical complexities of deploying new software within your existing technology environment. VARs manage data migration, system integration, and user transition to minimize disruption and accelerate time-to-value.  

• Comprehensive training programs help your team maximize the software’s capabilities. VARs provide role-specific training that goes beyond basic functionality to include best practices and advanced features relevant to your business.  

• Ongoing support and optimization ensure your system continues delivering value as your business evolves. VARs provide troubleshooting, system updates, and strategic guidance that keeps your software aligned with changing business needs. 

VAR vs direct purchase: Understanding your options 

The decision between working with a VAR or purchasing directly from the software vendor significantly impacts your implementation success and long-term satisfaction. Understanding these differences helps you make the right choice for your business. 

• Implementation depth and customization represent the most significant advantage VARs offer. Direct vendor relationships typically provide standard implementations with limited customization options. Vendors focus on selling licenses and moving to the next customer, often leaving you with generic configurations that don’t match your specific workflows. VARs invest time understanding your business processes and configure systems to support how you actually operate.  

• Support quality and accessibility differ dramatically between approaches. Vendor support teams handle thousands of customers across multiple products and industries, resulting in generic troubleshooting and limited availability. VARs maintain smaller client bases and provide personalized support from team members who understand your specific configuration and business context. 
   
• Pricing and total cost of ownership often favor VAR partnerships despite higher upfront costs. While direct purchases may offer lower license fees, they frequently result in higher total costs due to implementation delays, additional customization needs, and ongoing support requirements. VARs provide transparent pricing that includes comprehensive services, helping you budget accurately from the start.  

• Timeline and project management typically favor VAR implementations. Vendors often have lengthy implementation queues and limited project management resources. VARs prioritize implementation speed and provide dedicated project management to ensure timely deployment and user adoption. 

Why businesses choose VARs over direct vendor relationships 

Companies increasingly recognize that software purchases represent strategic investments requiring specialized implementation and ongoing optimization. VARs provide the focused attention and customized approach that direct vendor relationships cannot match. 

• Single-point accountability simplifies your vendor management and ensures consistent service quality. Rather than coordinating between multiple vendor departments for sales, implementation, and support, you work with a single VAR team that handles all aspects of your relationship.  

• Industry knowledge and best practices help you avoid common implementation pitfalls and maximize your software investment. VARs understand the specific challenges, regulatory requirements, and operational constraints that shape your industry, ensuring your system supports compliance and operational efficiency.  

• Flexibility and responsiveness enable VARs to adapt quickly to your changing needs. While vendors must balance requests from thousands of customers, VARs can make configuration changes, provide additional training, or adjust support levels based on your specific requirements. 

The strategic advantage of partnering with specialized VARs 

Working with VARs who specialize in specific software products provides additional advantages over both direct vendor relationships and generalist consulting firms. Specialized VARs combine deep product knowledge with extensive implementation experience, resulting in faster deployments and better outcomes. 

These partnerships also provide access to advanced features and optimization strategies that general users might never discover. Specialized VARs stay current with product roadmaps, beta features, and industry-specific enhancements that can provide competitive advantages for your business. 

Choose BPM for your Sage Intacct implementation 

As a certified Sage Intacct VAR, BPM combines deep financial software knowledge with extensive implementation experience across multiple industries. Our team understands both the technical capabilities of Sage Intacct and the unique financial management challenges facing growing businesses. We provide comprehensive services from initial system design through ongoing optimization, ensuring your Sage Intacct investment delivers measurable results. 

Partnering with BPM means receiving personalized attention from team members who understand your specific business requirements and industry context. We handle everything from data migration and system integration to user training and ongoing support, providing the expertise and accountability you need for implementation success. To learn why businesses choose our specialized VAR services over direct vendor relationships, contact us.