Technology Vendors MUST Network to do Their Job

Technology professionals, vendors especially, need to network more than most business professionals.  Why? Simply out, most technology projects require more than one vendor to complete them.  Seldom can one vendor can pull it all off by themselves.

Example – A medium-sized company is getting a new Internet service. Maybe they have outgrown their DSL service; maybe they need a more robust solution.

This is a common and seemingly simple scenario. Yet, it can easily involve a handful of vendors to pull it off. In a solution like this you have…

• 1. An Internet provider like a Sprint or a Verizon. AN ISP IS NEEDED
• 2. A local circuit to connect you to the Internet provider like a Qwest or an SBC.  A LOCAL ACCESS PROVIDER IS NEEDED
• 3. A router and/or firewall must be acquired. A more robust Internet service needs a more robust security solution most likely. It will need maintenance and support too.  A HARDWARE VENDOR NEEDED
• 4. The router and/or firewall must be installed and configured. A NETWORK ENGINEER IS NEEDED
• 5. E-Mail will need to be reconfigured at least minimally. A SYSTEMS ENGINEER IS NEEDED
• 6. There may be workstation changes needed. A SYSTEMS ENGINEER OR TECHNICIAN IS NEEDED
• 7. If remote access is used, there will be some reconfiguration needed here. MORE NETWORK OR SYSTEMS ENGINEERING IS NEEDED
• 8. There are changes in administration so some training will be needed. A TRAINER OR "PEOPLE FRIENDLY" ENGINEER IS NEEDED

Sometimes a single provider can handle one of more of these areas. Sometimes all of these areas do not all need to be addressed, at least not in much detail. More than often than not, however, there will be multiple vendors need to pull this off and these providers must be able to work in harmony with one another.

Projects that require multiple providers open a door wide open for networking – people networking.  When a project requires the services of another vendor, isn’t it good to have a pre-qualified vendor (partner) already lined up? After all, there just isn’t much time to go out looking for partners when the project is at hand. It requires forward thinking and that means networking.

If your company does not provide all of these services needed to pull off a customer solution, you should be building those relationships now. It gives you a well-rounded service offering and it leads to leads, business leads that is.

Look at it this way – if customers need more than what you offer to implement what you are proposing it is YOUR responsibility to fill in these gaps. When customers must go out to get the remainder of the solution, they may find that they don’t need you anymore. After all, your customer needs to get these areas addressed somehow. Often it is the organization that makes it easiest is in the driver’s seat and gets the deal.

There are two likely scenarios:

• 1. Customers can go out and source the rest of the solution for themselves. They may seek out a number of alternative providers, bring them in to the office, meet with them and go over their needs, get some quotes, compare them and select a vendor. That is just one part of the project and it is really just the beginning. Is this time consuming? YES! Are they taking chances? YES! Who then manages the interaction between the vendors? THE CUSTOMER! YUCK!!
• 2. YOU, the vendor they are already talking to for part of the project assumes the role of a "general contractor" bringing in the other vendors to complete the project. This has 2 options:
• a. You actually subcontract out the rest of the needed services to other firms and provide the customer with a single bill.
• b. The customer gets a bill from the other firms and you simply manage them.

Customers love this scenario and it benefits the provider equally well. EVERYONE BENEFITS.

Customers like it because:

• The customer relationship is closer, "stickier"
• The project is kept in friendly hands all along the way
• It leads to reciprocating favors from the other vendors
• The margins can be higher with a bundled solution
• You may get referral bonuses or commissions

Now it may be a bit more apparent why technology professionals network – THEY NEED TO.  They need partners for their projects.

So, just how do you build your vendor partner network?

Most cities have professional associations, many of them. They tend to cover all aspects of the technology spectrum. Here are some examples of some great professional associations in Colorado:

• Denver Telecom Professionals – telco managers, salespeople, engineers
• Southeastern Colorado Cisco Users Group – engineers and engineering managers
• Colorado Software and Internet Association – web developers, database/CRM people, managers
• Rockies Venture Club – resources for startup business, including finance
• Association for Corporate Growth – business management
• Microsoft Small Business Server Users Group – systems integrators

All of these groups have regular gatherings, usually monthly. I developed my business partner network by attending their events (meetings, trainings, networking events) as well as a number of others. It gave me a well-rounded set of vendor partners that I could bring in to provide better customer service and to thwart off the competition.

You probably have a great group of professional associations like this in YOUR city.  Just ask around and give them a try. Even if you only attend one of their gatherings every so often (like me), it is a great way to build a network of business partners.  Most are free or are very little cost (less that $20).

Let me know how it goes!

 

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Contact Mike at MikeO@TheNationalNetworker.com or via TNNW Blog.