#11 Shop in the Best Order – Support, Specification, then Service
Not everyone knows how to negotiate buying a car, but most people know not to just walk up on the lot and ask the car salesman to tell you what kind of car to buy. Most people would assume the salesman has an interest in getting you to spend as much money as possible. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he tried to convince you the extra features were necessities, or that the 20-year-old jalopy really just needs a buff and a coat of wax and is absolutely worth your entire budget.
The same philosophy should be applied when shopping for business technology services. Don’t ask the Service Providers (SPs) to tell you what to buy. Their goal is to get you to spend as much as possible, which leaves you having to be choosey about what you reveal, to prevent them from leveraging your needs into a higher price. But it doesn’t have to be like this! a simple change in the way you approach the game will dramatically improve the outcomes.
For those of us that aren’t experts in car purchases, a typical approach starts off as conversations with friends and family who know the subject. We use their counsel to better define what type of car we should be looking for, and its approximate value. That may include researching some aspects on the internet. Only when we have a clear general idea of what we want do we approach the car salesman to narrow things down. Instead of asking him what we should buy, we ask him what he has that meets our criteria.
The same applies when shopping for business technology service. If you aren’t sure what you’re looking for, the first thing you should do is find an expert who can advise you objectively, and have them help you define what results your business requires. A good Subject Matter Expert (SME) will also help draw out needs and wants you aren’t even necessarily aware of. Once you have your requirements defined, you can then approach various SPs and have them present the products and pricing they feel best meet your specifications.
Similarly, when defining your specifications, make sure you’re accounting for the right type of ongoing support provisions. If you expect your team to manage the service after installation, then your specification needs to make the access/control requirements clear. If you are expecting the SP or another party to provide support, make sure you are clear on where the funding for those services is coming from. There are several ways in which you might negotiate with SPs to have them subsidize your ongoing support. If your technology support efforts would benefit from staff augmentation, then make sure you’re clear on what level of support you require before you begin shopping.
Whatever you decide your specifications are, what matters is that you’ve defined them before you walk onto the lot and start talking to a salesperson. If you’re not clear on what you need, if you don’t have the time or staff resources to pursue a proper evaluation, or if you want to make sure that your money is being spent wisely, the Comtel Group can help.
