How to Pick the Right IT Vendor for Global Projects

The growing importance of procuring the right equipment during this technology-reliant era has put emphasis on the value of trusted vendor partnerships. After all, it’s not just about finding a reliable supplier at the onset of acquisition, but also choosing a partner to ensure the sustainability of your infrastructure and efficiency of your IT environment.

Here are the general steps that you can follow in choosing quality IT vendors for your projects:

1.  Create a team to spearhead selection. Start off by forming a team that will lead the selection process. Ideally, the team members should come from various departments and have a shared interest and knowledge in vendor selection. The team should then define the requirements that should be met by the product or service.
2.  Set vendor criteria. The team should also decide on the criteria by which they will assess the eligibility of a potential vendor. Depending on the service or product you are looking to acquire, some of the more relevant criteria that you can use to evaluate providers include:

• PMO Methodology. If you’re looking to outsource complex software or hardware projects, it’s important to find a provider that knows project management inside out. A reliable partner can work with you to understand your specific needs, define/propose a viable solution, provide you with the right people, and deliver with maximum efficiency.
• Coverage. Large organizations that maintain business offices and/or data centers in multiple locations should seriously consider service providers that have a global network of resources for easier access to technical assistance and faster availability of hardware and parts.
• Expertise. Dealing with multiple suppliers/providers for different products can cost you money, time, and efficiency. It is therefore important to find an IT vendor that not only meets your current need but also offers a wide range of services and technical expertise so that you only maintain a partnership with one reliable resource for all the IT services you would need. Their longevity in the industry should also be included in your consideration.
• Engineer Bench. IT engineers who are knowledgeable in servicing and troubleshooting IT equipment of different makes/models are not easy to find. If you want to maximize all hardware assets in your workplaces and data centers, you’d want to find a provider that has highly-qualified engineers who are certified across various technologies.

Once you have fully evaluated your product/service requirements and the standards you have set for a suitable IT vendor, you can research potential providers and make a shortlist of them.

1.  Request for Proposal (RFP). You can then start to communicate with the providers in your shortlist and request them to tender a proposal for the services you need. To facilitate easier evaluation of the proposals that you are bound to receive, make sure that you specify a clear structure of what the response should include.
2.  Evaluate responses and select a vendor. The responses you receive from each potential vendor should be evaluated based on the requirements and criteria you have earlier identified in the process. Your overall assessment should also include other significant factors that would strongly figure into the decision such as pricing, vendor impression, and positive referrals.

Forging a partnership with the right IT service provider can be a big boost to your technology environment, and consequently, your business as a whole. That’s why it’s essential that you choose a trusted resource that can maximize IT resources, effectively address IT challenges, and provide exceptional service wherever you are.

CentricsIT is a leading provider of IT lifecycle management solutions and global IT service delivery. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, we can help you streamline your operational processes, improve your business efficiency, and effectively manage your IT assets throughout their lifecycle—from sourcing to disposition anywhere in the world. We’ve even helped clients save 40 to 70 percent on support costs.

Want to know if CentricsIT can be the right IT vendor for your data center? Talk to one of our specialists today.