February 22, 2018 | less than a minute read

How to be a best in class technology vendor

Passle

As a technology provider it is important that we create a lasting relationship with our clients.

This should be a key part of any business strategy to ensure clients are successful and the biggest advocates.

I had an opportunity to discuss this with a leading global accountancy firm and technology organisation this week.

My key points to ensure you create a successful relationship include:

Ensuring your client is successful
Create a partnership
Accountability
Delivering what you said you would and more
Understanding the personal and business goals of your client
Clear and agreed communication techniques
Set realistic and agreed expectations

In the paragraph below Dimension Data highlight the requirements from both vendors and suppliers to create a positive partnership.

From a monetary perspective, according to Forrest Research, it costs five times more to find a new customer than to retain a current customers. Equally it is possible to generate referrals through your successful clients that costs significantly less than generating a cold sales opportunity.

the development of a ‘partnership’ relationship between client and supplier, based on trust and focused on mutual business outcomes, is key to the success of the contract. This model requires organisations to adopt a new attitude toward service providers as strategic partners – not just as vendors from whom goods and services are procured, but as business partners with experience, skills and assets that can be harnessed to create competitive advantage. Service providers, in turn, must be prepared to work to better align their services and contracts to their clients’ unique needs.