Data loss is inevitable. It can cripple organizations and even lead to their demise. But what if you could swoop in and save the day?
The ability to retrieve lost data directly from seemingly inaccessible storage media is a powerful tool for channel players to possess. If your customer's data can be compromised, so can their backup data.
When customers suffer data losses, they frequently turn to you for assistance. If that help is limited to the repair or replacement of hardware without recovering data on their storage devices, you are left with unhappy customers.
If you don't have data recovery expertise you are ignoring opportunities to generate incremental revenue and enhance existing customer relationships. If you can respond to your customers' emergencies immediately, you've progressed beyond the traditional role of a VAR and stepped up to the plate to address this business continuity issue for your customers where other players cannot.
Futhermore, the ability to come to your customers' rescue does more to build customer loyalty than favorable product and service pricing or a friendly salesperson. They'll remember this the next time they're looking to spend money.
Data recovery costs money and many businesses are willing to pay to have critical data retrieved quickly and carefully. Leverage the expertise of a third-party supplier who specializes in data recovery that you can then offer to your customers when needed, rather than having to source the supplier at the time of the data disaster.
A search on Google reveals many companies and individuals who provide data recovery services, but not all are created equal. Here are a few things to keep in mind when evaluating a potential data recovery partner:
- What is the breadth of their capabilities? Are they relegated to only PC hard drives or can they handle complex enterprise storage devices such as RAID arrays?
- Are they vendor independent? Are they OS limited? Are their capabilities limited?
- Can they handle older drives? Many companies have older technology that is more likely to fail the longer it is in use.
- Is the data recovery firm keeping abreast of new storage devices, formats and recording methods?
- What is their geographic reach? Do they make it easy for customers to deliver their affected media to their facility? Do they provide onsite service?
- How are their recovery services priced? Do they charge for evaluations? Do they charge if data cannot be recovered? Do they charge by quantity of data?
- Do they have a good track record working with third parties?
These questions should be answered before choosing a data recovery partner.
Data loss can mean the end of your customer's existence. The provision of data recovery through the right partnership enhances your relationship with customers and ensures they continue.
About the author: Kalle Almer is Director of Business Development at CBL Data Recovery Technologies Inc. (www.cblpartners.com or www.cbltech.com). E-mail kalmer@cbltech.com.
