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Most IT companies are “checkbox” vendors and do not uphold a true IT partnership.
Checkbox vendors need to be told exactly what to do on every project. It’s not a quality of service issue; these vendors will systematically complete that checklist with speed and professionalism. But that’s all that they have to offer because—push-button at best—their only goal is to tick off those checkboxes.
Your to-dos are completed—and nothing more. That’s the minimum passing grade.
This checkbox mentality is what separates projects from partnerships. Here’s why true IT partnerships matter to the efficacy of your business.
What is a True IT Partnership?
Partnership might sound cliché—and you might be skeptical that it’s a sly marketing euphemism for “contract”—but corporate relationships are an opportunity to work more effectively alongside your vendors. And those relationships should not be passive.
Sure, you can direct a company’s every move— telling them what you need and when—and, if they’re professional, they should deliver. But what would change if you could:
- Discuss the “bigger picture” of your operations?
- Explain and align your management processes?
- Plan together for upcoming projects?
Most vendors can do the work you ask, but the valuable ones, the true IT vendor partners, will hear what your company’s long-term goals are and challenge your assumptions in reaching them. What larger project does this work support? What do you hope to accomplish by replacing this hardware? How would your business change if you did this a different way?
Vendors like these don’t want to just know what you need in the moment. They want to understand the full spectrum of your operations, so they can deliver full IT lifecycle and management solutions that help your efficiently meet your big picture goals.
Questions that Lead to a Holistic Approach
An inquisitive vendor will also naturally step into the position of IT consultant. Through dedicated interaction and collaboration, they bolster your entire infrastructure, streamline your operational logistics, and help you save significant OPEX.
Unlike the “checkbox” vendors who need to be directed at every stage—and because these vendors have that added insight to your operations—world-class vendors do not need to be managed. World-class vendors manage your projects and initiatives for you. If you involved them at the strategic level, they’ll inherently know when new hardware is needed, maintenance schedules need to be updated, or EOL equipment should be resold or recycled. And they’ll add value by speaking directly into that strategic conversation.
But this methodology isn’t just a theory; it’s a praxis. We see it in action every day as our engagement helps our clients sustainably achieve more from their existing infrastructure.
Process in Practice
At CentricsIT, we believe that the right relationship with your vendor will elevate your service delivery, making you more proactive, efficient, and effective than you ever thought possible. And we’ll help you deliver on a global scale. Here are several examples of proactive companies that engaged us as part of their strategic delivery plan:
One of the world’s largest global law firms asked CentricsIT to complete a simple deployment project that included rack and stack, setup, and the removal of old devices. Naturally, we asked about the scope of the project as a whole, and, as a result of our interest and dedication, this simple rack and stack job eventually turned into a massive global supply chain initiative—we began providing everything from imaging, user migrations, asset tagging, international logistics, data sanitization, to ITAD services (we even stepped in for staff augmentation). As time went on, we proved our ability to deliver anytime and anywhere, so the law firm continues to consolidate their vendors by adding locations to CentricsIT support.
This giant glasses retailer made a recent move from conducting its business strictly online to having brick and mortar locations around the world. CentricsIT was asked to complete a Wi-Fi rollout for one of their new locations, but we asked more than the “checklist” questions and found out that the company needed the same services for over 25 new sites. Because we offer as-needed hardware bundles through our global partner networks, we went from a single Wi-Fi deployment to seamlessly providing the same services at every new retail location that was (and will be) built, saving the company time, logistical frustration, and considerable OPEX.
The CentricsIT Difference
CentricsIT is not a passive vendor. And we like to work with people who like to form true IT partnerships. When you partner with us, you reap the benefits of a single, consolidated vendor solution at a lower cost than if you continued to operate by piecemeal.
Looking for a partner that elevates and supports your end-to-end IT operations? Contact CentricsIT to strategically save on OPEX by increasing your operational efficiency.
