Editor's Note: Technology Partners is a new monthly column written by members of the Information Technology Solution Providers Association.

Click to see: Andrew Levi

But today, with the economy on the rise and infrastructure growing outdated, SMBs are again turning to technology partners (a.k.a., value-added resellers, systems integrators, channel partners or IT solution providers) to help upgrade their systems and guide them to the best technology choices for the future. 

Picking the right partner is not trivial. A wrong choice can lead to disaster, from damaged data and poorly designed systems to outright theft of prepaid fees. But a smart choice can be key to creating explosive growth for your business, enhancing your workflow, lowering your costs and relieving your IT headaches.

To get started in your search, query your friends and colleagues. Call equipment manufacturers and software publishers from whom you purchased equipment. They can refer you to certified vendors in your area. Avoid the temptation to choose an IT partner after seeing a cool newspaper ad, receiving an interesting cold call or by perusing the Yellow Pages.

Next, look for these crucial characteristics:

Industry know-it-alls. Your VAR should understand your industry, the idiosyncrasies of your business and be able to demonstrate how it’s solved similar problems for other clients like you. This ensures it’s not re-inventing the wheel to solve each new challenge. While specific experience in your market is helpful, it’s not always necessary, even thought there are channel partners specializing in everything from medical to retail and even construction.

Technical sheepskins. By earning important technical certifications, an IT organization demonstrates its commitment to investing in itself and its people. Look for certifications on both the individual and company-wide level. Every VAR should be a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider. Individuals should have some level of certification specific to their specialty and/or in vertical-market software, such as Great Plains. There are hundreds of certifications, even for sales and service personnel. Manufacturers and publishers –– including HP, Cisco, Citrix and NetScreen –– also provide them.