Selecting A Systems Integrator: Commitment (Part 4 of 4)
This article is fourth and final part of a four-part series. Read parts one, two and three.
There are inevitable changes and challenges that occur within implementations. The mark of a true partner isn’t what they are like when everything’s going great, but instead when challenges are encountered. The true test of an organization’s character is what they do to support their customers through difficult times.
In it for the Money, or for the Shared Success?
Often there are challenges outside of the customers control that require their integration partner to be flexible. Quite often these challenges result in financial implications. It is at these times that integrity and experience with your vendor partner can matter most.
Free Guide: Top Order Fulfillment KPI Indicators
What are the core values of the integration partner’s organization, and how will they view these challenges as they crop up? If your partner’s only concern is money, then they will view these challenges as opportunities to charge you for delays and new solutions.
If, on the other hand, they prioritize customer satisfaction and pride in their own work over merely making a few extra bucks, then the challenges will be viewed through a different lense. They will be seen as an opportunity to endear you to them, and they will do their best to find a solution that will accommodate the challenge and help you through a difficult time.
A true partner will do their best to absorb these charges, rearrange resources, and accommodate the client to the best of its ability. The ability for project teams to have the latitude to mobilize and quickly organize solutions to these problems is something that can be lost in a spreadsheet competitive matrix when “bidders” are matched against each other, but it isn’t something that should be overlooked
Selling Steel vs. Building a Bridge
Just as anyone can sell steel, most people can eventually bring a system live. But it takes something extra to take steel and turn it into something special, and it takes something extra to turn a system into the best that it can be. The final 2% of the formula must always be persistence and perseverance, because these are the things that truly make or break any integration.
In addition to a strong and nuanced concept and a high level of craftsmanship, your integrator must display a high level of commitment for your project to succeed. You must choose an integration partner who has the same level of commitment to your success as you do yourself.
The Fourth C
If you’re looking for one more C to round out this formula for success, look no further than Conveyco. With nearly 40 years of experience in systems integration with hundreds of clients, we’ve turned finding RightFIT solutions into an art. Conveyco: Good people, great solutions.
