In today’s world, IT leaders know that they need to rely on third parties to keep up with rapidly changing information and services, but often partner relationships promise more than they deliver. As the founder of a firm that has provided communication technology expertise for over 30 years to companies of all sizes, we live by delivering on SOWs. However, any relationship that focuses solely on delivering a SOW falls short of delivering what’s needed to enable long-term transformation.
Beyond selecting a third party who can meet your technical requirements, what will truly transform your business is the softer requirements. Here are three questions to help you determine if a strategic partner has the soft requirements that align with your business needs:
1. What Does Success Look Like and What Role Does the Partner Play in Achieving This?
With many IT services, results come from the collaboration between both parties. Some clients want deep collaboration with their experts, while others just want a subject matter expert to weigh in and augment their efforts. Be sure to discuss the specific roles a partner will play to achieve success.
For example, if you’re looking for an expert to assist in selecting and deploying a new unified communications technology solution, you need to articulate each parties’ responsibility for user training and adoption. Do you need the partner to stay engaged until an enterprise reaches a certain level of user adoption, or is it enough for them to perform specific tasks related to training and adoption?
2. Do Our Work Styles Make Sense Together?
A good partner should understand your work style and decision-making criteria to provide guidance in the right way. Some vendors are successful by being highly structured for a consistent result, whereas other’s success lies in bespoke services that are customized to each client’s unique needs. When determining if a vendor is right for you, be sure to consider if a vendor fits into your team’s current ways of working.
For example, if your company is highly structured be sure you have a partner that operates with rigorous project management methodology and standards. However, if your company is more entrepreneurial, a partner who can quickly adapt to your evolving needs will be a better fit.
3. How Will We Handle Unexpected Challenges?
Oftentimes, unexpected challenges arise on a project when something important wasn’t thought about correctly. A good partner should understand your priorities and decision-making criteria in order to provide the guidance needed to progress the project.
For example, if a challenge arises that impacts the timeline of a project, a good partner should know enough to respond appropriately and help you determine how to adjust based on your desired business outcomes. They can help you determine what it would cost to keep the project on track, or how to prioritize parts of the project to complete by the deadline.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the SOW and related success metrics should be the minimum acceptable performance to hold the vendor accountable towards delivering measurable success. In a strong relationship, a vendor will operate as a true partner, whose focus is on filling your enterprise’s gaps as opposed to delivering a contract.
To thrive in this ever-increasingly technology-dependent world, IT leaders need to shift their focus away from vendors who check the box and towards vendors who will operate as an extension of your team to drive greater success.