Businesses need vendors for several things, whether for services rendered or the acquisition of technology. Alas, the act of managing so many vendors can be draining and time-consuming for companies. What is the forward-thinking organization to do, and how can it overcome the challenges of vendor management?
There is a chance that you view your vendors as a necessary evil. While you have to work with them to get the software or tools that your organization needs to function, it’s difficult to not think of everything else that could be accomplished in the time you spend dealing with them. Alas, there are even more costs to dealing with vendors that you may not have considered.
As the business owner, are you the only person in your office who manages your company’s vendor relationships? Chances are that this is a huge responsibility, and one that consumes a significant portion of your time. While communicating with vendors is important for resolving issues or learning more about the service offered, it’s still a pain that you shouldn’t have to deal with.
It can make a big difference for your business to partner with the right technology vendor. How can you know if you’re working with a vendor that’s looking out for your company’s best interests, or one that wants to rip you off? You can know for sure if you’re working with the right vendor if you have your trusted IT provider choose them for you.
Who's in charge of making the decisions in your business concerning technology? Ideally, you want an internal IT manager or a CIO with IT experience calling the tech shots. However, many businesses don't have this luxury. According to a CompTIA survey from last November, 48 percent of businesses have managers making decisions about technology implementation that don't have IT experience.
Consolidation makes life easier. Your smartphone is a prime example of this: consolidating dozens of individual gadgets down to one easy-to-use device that can fit inside your pocket. Before smartphones, we had to travel with a carry-on bag full of electronics, but now, thanks to smartphones, traveling is much easier. This principle of consolidation also applies to IT services.
Some people are so good at communicating that they do it for a living. The best communicators get paid to talk to people on the behalf of others, with an interpreter being the classic example of this. In your business dealings, there are some people that you would rather have someone else talk to on your behalf; IT vendors often fall into this category.
With every upgrade to every product, we see technology appealing to people's insatiable need for instant gratification. From microwaves to emails, you know the drill; the most successful innovations are the ones that make life more convenient. Why should your IT service be any different and fail to instantly gratify you?
