TLAs: What Is A Reseller, VAR or MSP?

Acronyms, acronyms, and more three-letter acronyms. Even more TLA abbreviations in today's world than you can shake a stick at. The English language used to be so simple; the written and spoken word could be understood by all and life was uncomplicated ...

Fast forward to the modern world and the advent of something called 'jargon'. We all want others to know how knowledgeable we are and we like to flex our intellect, bamboozle prospective clients with TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) and show ourselves as top of our profession on Social Media...and yes, that includes me.

"However, even I feel that I need to go back to basics!"

I stopped using jargon over five years ago, as I was approaching the great age of fifty (which is the new forty as you know!) and this reminded me of an encounter with a customer in 1991.

I was selling Audio/Visual/Photography (basics Pritesh - Hi-FIs, music stereo systems, TVs, video recorders and camera) equipment for Dixons in Oxford when a chap came in to buy a new Television.

I persuaded him he should invest in one of the latest NICAM stereo TVs that were on the market. Very bizarrely as he thought I was wet behind the ears (I was sort of, but very bright with it), he asked me, "Ok then, what does NICAM stand for then?"

Firstly, I was impressed that he knew NICAM was an acronym - so I promptly replied with, "Near Instantaneous Compounded Audio Multiplex and in broadcasting terms, it means that the sound and pictures are sent near Instantaneously to the picture, producing stereo sound, hence the new NICAM TVs have left and right speakers, unlike the Mono speaker TVs that this new breed was replacing". I didn't feel smug - I was doing my job. However, he looked as if I had just stolen his ice cream.

Businesses in the technology industry have had to constantly adapt, evolve and update their knowledge pool and along with that, have come an assortment of titles over the years from simple Reseller to more complicated Value Added Reseller (VAR) and Managed Service Provider (MSP). Companies supplying network photocopiers call themselves Managed Print Services (Providers) so you may see MPS on your travels.

We also like our statuses in the tech trade. You will see an abundance of Microsoft 'Gold' Partners, which is actually a paid status once an applications technician has completed all the Microsoft exams required to become a 'Partner' and resell the Microsoft suite of software!

However, if you are a charity or education organisation, please check that the technician has completed the 'charity' and/or education' licencing exams as these are separate modules from Microsoft to be able to buy these licences at special prices.

A good tech company will use simple language - they will tell you they sell Technology such as broadband, data cabling, computers and servers, telephone systems, WiFi and mobile Phone equipment and much more.

Don't make it over-complicated, keep technology simple and relevant to your business requirements.

If you feel inspired to find out more then do call me on 07555 807700 or leave a comment below and I'll be in touch as soon as I can.