In today’s scenario, a business needs the right technical expertise to prosper. Leveraging technological advancements can give your business an edge over your competitors. Most companies outsource parts of their IT processes or services, selecting the right IT partner is critical. In this blog, we share insights that will assist you in choosing the right IT partner for your business.
1. Relevant IT expertise
You must consider hiring an IT service provider with the necessary skillset and IT expertise that you are looking for as a business. Also, evaluate them based on the relevant experience, i.e., if they have implemented similar IT solutions or provided similar IT services to other companies.
An experienced IT partner would be better equipped to find solutions to any challenges. The experts would ensure that they know the technology to create modern, future-ready solutions or services that will benefit the company in the long term.
2. Relevant Industry experience
Also, as a business, you should evaluate the experience of the IT vendor in the industry your company operates. It is an added advantage if the IT partner has previous experience within your industry.
They know the unique challenges the industry has to offer. They are better placed to understand your business model. Also, they are acquainted with the best IT practices and industry benchmarks.
They can utilize this knowledge gained from their previous engagements and harness it effectively to serve you better.
3. Cultural Fitment
Cultural fitment is often the most ignored aspect while choosing an external partner. Each business has a work culture. You should hire a vendor that is a cultural fit for your business.
Let us consider a practical example in this case. If you as a company believe in quick decision-making whereas the IT partner company has an extended decision-making mechanism, there is bound to be friction. Hence it is vital to have cultural fitment.
The IT company should be like an extended arm of your business. They should work as a team with a business’ internal team members.
4. Recommendations and references
A background check about the work done by the IT partner is essential before choosing a partner. You can look at the number of clients retained over the years, their year-on-year growth, companies they have worked with, and other similar critical information about them.
If required, you may ask them to set up a call or meet with their existing clients. When you speak to their customers, enquire about their experience working with their team, the proficiency and expertise of the team members working on their projects, and learn more about their processes and work methodology.
You can also ask the vendor to share case studies or white papers related to their work with other businesses in your industry. All these would help you understand the credibility of the work done by them and help you gauge their proficiency, expertise, and domain capabilities.
5. Customer-centricity
A good IT partner will try to understand your business and the goals you want to achieve. They should equate their success with your success. The company will have a customer-first mindset.
Their processes should be designed by the systems and processes internal to your business. Customer satisfaction should be their priority.
A trusted IT partner has the customer’s best interests at heart at all times. They should not push services and solutions to increase their ticket size. They will recommend it only if they genuinely feel that it will add value to the customer or resolve their problems.
6. Cost-effective partner
Many businesses use the terms cost-effectiveness and cheapest interchangeably. Sometimes the cheapest solution may not always be the best. Yes, as a company, you have to adhere to the budget you have at your disposal. However, given the budget considerations, you should opt for the most cost-effective IT partner.
As mentioned earlier, look at their track record and evaluate the value they have created for their customers. Can they replicate a similar success story for your business? Can they deliver the optimum value for your business? If the answer to these questions is yes and you feel that they give maximum bang to your buck, go ahead with them even if they are not the cheapest option available.
If you are looking for a trusted technology partner with an excellent track record, schedule a call with experts, at Direction Software. We would be happy to connect and explore the possibility of mutual collaboration.
Direction Software is a multicultural Information Technology Solutions and Business consulting company with Indo-German Management, headquartered in Mumbai, India.
We offer E-Business consulting, Back Office Support, Bespoke solutions on .Net, Java & open-source platforms, Business Intelligence, and Mobility Solutions.
Direction works as an extension of the customer’s organization. We equate their success with our own. It reflects in the close relationship and trust we build together, leading to us retaining over 90% of our clients. We service 200+ clients across 10+ geographic locations and have a 20% growth rate year-on-year basis. Our large multinational clients have been with us for well over 10 years.
About the author:
Chirag Thakkar – Sr. Digital Marketing ConsultantAt Direction Software LLP, Chirag works with the Marketing Team to enhance the Digital Marketing presence and Lead Generation.