As the Clients started to arrive, I entered our usual meeting place and they were already there. They sat on the chairs in our usual conference room. We had a lot of work to do that day, just a sales presentation to the Marketing channel, but we also had a mandatory refresher session on the key business systems and we wanted to have a very clear picture on the current state. We had a lot of issues to solve. Our internal calls and e-mails had been replying to a lot of questions around the customers data but we had a bit of a blind spot on the reporting systems. So I was trying to get a head start on the process and details. The BCP vendors reported that they are going to need more time to analyse their systems and have the necessary information for them to set up a solution for us with the help of Corporate. We were in a bit of a shock as we had this issue right at the beginning of our contract, but we were running out of time so we had to move forward and see if we could overcome this bump in the road. 

First of all we had to make sure that the Customers were able to access the whole range of reports and data they were used to when they worked with their support provider. If a new provider won the contract, this data would have to flow between the current Support Provider and the new one as seamlessly as possible. We didn’t have time for migrations and data duplication. The solution would have to cater for this in a smooth transition.

 How easy will it be to communicate with my vendor?

The topic of the morning was a bit of a stretch on the technical resources available to the company, the BCP capability and configuration. We had chosen a BCP solution that would allow us to access the data and reports required, with the most straightforward process. The customers were warned of the change, to try and limit the stress and resistance they could face. Ideally they would accept the change, as it would provide them with more freedom and independence, with little hassle. As expected, one of the major obstacles was getting the customers to accept a change of administration thorough  and monitoring tools. Most of them were very happy with the tools they had at their disposal. This was not an easy task for us, as we had a very limited view on the customer’s current state on the system. On top of that the status of their systems could change from one day to the next. They were putting in place new processes and procedures and this was causing changes on their configurations. This frustrated the hell out of us, as we would not be able to fully analyse the current situation. The internal support resources were barely coping, and as a result we would not have the best view on the actual state of the customer. 

Corporate Services: Tips for Choosing a Provider

As it relates to the topic of this blog post, ” Services”, there are myriad services available to choose from. When it comes to evaluating your best option for upgrading your company’s IT infrastructure and overall business efficiency, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach or solution. Whatever your budget, there is a provider out there to fit your IT needs, even if you don’t realize it. There are some questions a company’s management team should ask themselves in order to determine where they are in their r evolution. 

Before we get into that and the many other factors involved when choosing whom to work with, we have something special for you today: our FREE Vendor Selection Guide. If you’re ever in need of a little help making vendor selection decisions down the road, this guide will help provide some valuable information and resources. 

So let’s go back and talk about those questions, shall we? There is no one way to decide who and what you want in your company in order to help update and maintain a healthy business. But there are some helpful factors that need to be considered when beginning the process:

Can I get the answers I need quickly and easily? If not, what are my options?

Will they be flexible with my schedule, since running a business doesn’t exactly run like clockwork? (ex. can we schedule a phone call during my lunch break?)Will they do the smallest things to help me along? (ex. send out reminders for my upcoming appointments).Are there any hidden fees that I could be facing when working with these guys? (multiple hidden costs, such as having to pay for things like insurance and/or equipment that are implied to be included)