An interview with Peter Airs, Head of Business Management at Solstice AV
At Solstice, we’re often asked why we work with the vendors we do, and just as importantly, why we don’t work with everyone.
The short answer is that we’re very deliberate.
When I took on responsibility for vendor and business management at Solstice, my objective was clear: to build a portfolio that allows our reseller partners to win more business, more consistently, and to be an equally dependable distributor for the vendors we represent. Not the biggest. But reliable, responsive, and a genuinely safe pair of hands.
“We don’t aim to be the biggest distributor, we aim to be the safest pair of hands for our resellers and vendors alike.”
That principle underpins every vendor relationship we build.
Partnerships that put resellers first
I see every vendor relationship as a genuine partnership. But that partnership only works if it ultimately serves the reseller.
Distribution in AV and IT is demanding. Margins are tight, competition is intense, and projects are often complex. Our role is to reduce friction for resellers, not add to it. That means working with vendors who understand the channel, respect it, and want to grow through it properly.
“If a vendor relationship isn’t built around helping resellers win, it’s probably not going to succeed.”
When vendors bring us opportunities, they need to know those opportunities will be handled carefully, professionally, and with the reseller’s interests protected at every stage.
Portfolio fit protects reseller focus
The first filter for any new vendor is portfolio fit.
Every vendor we work with needs a clear role in our range. We deliberately avoid competing technologies and overlapping manufacturers because duplication creates confusion for resellers and dilutes internal expertise.
We avoid competing vendors because focus is what allows us to support resellers properly.
By being selective, we can invest time in training, solution design, specification support and pre-sales confidence, all of which help resellers deliver better outcomes for their end users.
Channel behaviour builds reseller trust
Channel behaviour is non-negotiable.
We only work with vendors who respect the channel, protect their partners, and maintain clear boundaries around direct sales and pricing. There’s nothing more damaging to reseller trust than discovering you’re competing with the manufacturer on a deal you’ve developed.
Nothing undermines reseller trust faster than finding yourself competing with the manufacturer.
Mature vendors understand that strong channel relationships require transparency, consistency and discipline.
Commercial structures that help resellers win deals
Commercial terms have to support the full chain.
That means pricing structures that enable healthy reseller margins, fair distribution margins, and mechanisms that reduce risk, including price protection, stock rotation, and deal protection.
If the commercial structure doesn’t de-risk the reseller, it won’t scale.
As a value-added distributor, our teams support projects from early design through to installation and post-sales support. That effort exists to help resellers win business, and it needs protecting.
Operational strength matters to resellers
Strong products alone aren’t enough.
I assess supply chain reliability, lead times, data quality, RMA processes, and how easily a vendor can transact at scale. Operational weakness quickly becomes a reseller problem, and that’s something we work hard to avoid.
“Strong products mean very little if the operations behind them don’t support resellers properly.”
We often work with emerging vendors and are happy to share guidance and experience, but openness and a willingness to improve are essential.
Focused partnerships, better outcomes
Our strongest partnerships are built with vendors who are honest about their strengths and limitations, and who are willing to plan, review and grow with us, always with the reseller at the centre.
Our role as a distributor is to simplify the market for resellers, provide high-quality solutions wrapped in a full value-added service, and create a stable, supportive platform for the vendors we represent.
We don’t aim to be everything to everyone, we aim to be exceptional for the resellers and vendors who work with Solstice.
Interested in working with Solstice?
If you’re a manufacturer or software provider considering distributing to AV resellers in the UK, we’d be happy to talk.
Pete and the wider Solstice management team will be at ISE, and we’re always open to conversations there. Alternatively, we can arrange a visit to the Solstice showroom in Gloucestershire, or set up an introductory call to explore whether there’s a strong fit on both sides.
We’re selective, but when there’s alignment, we invest properly.
If that sounds like the kind of partnership you’re looking for, let’s start the conversation.
