How can you build strong, long-lasting relationships with IT service vendors for future collaborations?

1st is, Make sure to collect requirements and commitment though. The vendor also needs to learn about the business nature, not only requirements what clients requested. Then vendor can provide and support exceed requirements. Also 2nd is, make sure with documented records. Clients also need to be aware on the documentation and more effective to deal requirements and make communication.

A long-term relationship with an IT supplier requires a supplier who also has the business knowledge of the customer to allow for alignment of business objectives and technology enablers. As a customer have regular reviews and be open to receiving good and not so good news that makes sense for the company's strategy. Have suppliers identify innovative ideas about the service they provide or new scopes of service that they can add value to the business and not a technology only sale/service. It is also important that the supplier is not constantly beaten on price as a long-term relationship requires a profitable ecosystem for all. As a supplier it is important to be in things for the long term and not look at a pure transactional sale.

In my experience, when ever I was involved in supplier selection my key criteria was: 1. Have they understood the problem I am trying to solve! 2. Did my gut feeling say I can work with them! 3. Will they deliver to the price they are committing to or am I looking at a un realistic offer whereby I will need multiple change orders! Anil

Building strong, long-lasting relationships with IT service vendors involves clear communication, mutual respect, and trust. Begin by setting clear expectations and maintaining open lines of communication to address any issues promptly. Regularly review and assess performance, providing constructive feedback. Show appreciation for good work and ensure prompt payments. Foster a collaborative environment by involving vendors in strategic planning and decision-making. Cultivate a sense of partnership by understanding their needs and challenges, and seek opportunities for mutual growth and innovation. Building personal rapport with key contacts also strengthens the relationship.

First of all, know exactly what you want from a supplier. When you're ready to hire a vendor, have your scope of service clearly defined, what you want the service, or solution, to deliver. While negotiating, objectively establish goals and service levels, remember that only what is legally defined in the contract is what will be delivered and is what you can actually charge. Everything else is relationships, customer experience and mutual respect, which is not in the contract, but which is also very important, but you can only demand what was contracted.

Communication is always the weak point and will always be the most important factor in success. It is necessary to balance this paradox, if communication is well done, it needs a guardian, key person, official contact, who keeps all contact and interaction mechanisms with suppliers and customers in constant improvement. Relationship is Communication! If you have failed in the process or are neglecting it, go back to the Communication Plan and appoint an appropriate person to keep information updated and stakeholders engaged. Automated tools are good, but people only respect people, keep that in mind.

Una comunicación clara y abierta, asegura entender correctamente la necesidad de las partes, con eso se obtiene resultados positivos…..

- definierte Ansprechpartner (Key User, ...) - regelm?ssige ITC Jour-Fix (alle 2 - 4 Wochen) - Quartals-Review, an welchem die gr?ssten beiderseitigen Herausforderungen besprochen, Verantwortlichkeiten, Ziele und Massnahmen definiert werden - Jahres-Review, zeitlich vor Budgetierung

Comunica??o ativa sempre, nos momentos mais críticos de uma entrega, como também celebrando as conquistas. Esteja aberto para receber feedbacks, mesmo que n?o esteja 100% de acordo, procure refletir os "porquês" do feedback, resiliência é a chave.

Em servi?os de TI, a comunica??o aberta é fundamental para estabelecer relacionamentos robustos e eficazes. Check-ins frequentes, canais claros para feedback e uma cultura de transparência s?o essenciais para construir confian?a mútua. Responder prontamente às consultas e preocupa??es do fornecedor demonstra compromisso com a colabora??o e ajuda a alinhar expectativas ao longo de projetos e contratos de servi?o.

Reconhecer e valorizar a expertise e os esfor?os dos fornecedores cria um ambiente de colabora??o positiva. Tratar os fornecedores como parceiros e n?o apenas como prestadores de servi?o promove um senso de igualdade e confian?a. O respeito mútuo também envolve ouvir ativamente as preocupa??es e sugest?es dos fornecedores, respondendo de maneira construtiva e aberta. Isso fortalece a comunica??o e a resolu??o de problemas. Além disso, cumprir com os acordos estabelecidos e ser justo em negocia??es e feedbacks refor?a a integridade da rela??o. Com respeito mútuo, ambas as partes se sentem valorizadas e motivadas a contribuir para o sucesso conjunto, garantindo colabora??es futuras bem-sucedidas.

- Integration in Mitarbeiteranl?sse, z.B. ITC Schulungsthemen (Cybersecurity, ...) - Produktschulungen der ITC Mitarbeiter, um das Verst?ndnis für das Kerngesch?ft des Unternehmens zu sch?rfen

Mutual respect is an obligation, ethical stance is an obligation. If this does not exist on one of the parties, end the contract, end the contact. People of dubious nature or flexible morals will lead you into corrupt processes. Have the moral fiber to not give in illegal proposals, illicit gains, or illegal advantages. Recognize valuable people and business partners who create a safe and loyal environment focused on legal compliance and respect for correct processes and lasting partnership.

Think of your relationship with vendors as a dance – it takes two to tango! Mutual respect is the rhythm that keeps everything in sync. Acknowledge their expertise, value their input, and treat them as partners, not just service providers. It’s amazing what a little appreciation can do – suddenly, you’re not just dancing; you’re waltzing your way to success.

Respeito e dedica??o s?o a base para um sólido relacionamento com clientes (e parceiros). Seja proativo na comunica??o, e demonstre lealdade em todas as a??es.

é fundamental que a TI n?o seja o objetivo por si só, mas que ela seja a solu??o para os objetivos. Quando o fornecedor contribui com essa clareza para o cliente, auxiliando a identificar os objetivos reais para sustentar a presta??o de servi?os, tornando-se mais efetivo, a rela??o entre as partes certamente será fortalecida. Isso levará à confian?a e a novas oportunidades de negócios. Quando a TI é implantada sem objetivos claramente definidos e compartilhados, a chance de tranformar-se em custo ao invés de investimento é grande e consequentemente perderá espa?o em novas ocasi?es.

It is crucial that you keep in mind what type of suppliers you will hire before actually signing the contract. They will be inside "your home", will know your processes and will have privileged access to sensitive information, it is essential that you choose the supplier considering that they will be a strategic partner, that both parties are committed to results, goals and sharing the risk . The vision for success needs and must be shared, establish joint objectives, penalties for non-compliance and bonuses for exceeded success.

- gemeinsame Erarbeitung einer ITC Strategie basierend auf der Unternehmensstrategie - definieren der kurz-, mittel- und langfristigen ITC Zielsetzungen mit entsprechendem Massnahmenplan / Budget

When working with vendors, it’s crucial to have shared goals. Think of it like being on the same sports team – you’re all aiming to win the championship, not just score individual points. Align your objectives and work towards a common vision. This ensures that everyone’s efforts are directed towards the same target, leading to a win-win situation for all.

Quando ambas as partes trabalham em dire??o a metas comuns, a colabora??o se torna mais coesa e focada. Definir e alinhar esses objetivos desde o início garante que todos estejam cientes das expectativas e responsabilidades, promovendo um senso de parceria e engajamento. Objetivos compartilhados ajudam a direcionar os esfor?os e recursos de maneira eficiente, evitando divergências e mal-entendidos. Além disso, ao envolver os fornecedores no processo de defini??o de metas, você valoriza sua expertise e perspectiva, o que pode resultar em solu??es mais inovadoras e eficazes. Reuni?es regulares para revisar o progresso e ajustar os objetivos conforme necessário mantêm a parceria dinamica e adaptável às mudan?as.

Suppliers can reenergize areas of IT that are obsolete or complacent, bringing new solutions or problem-solving dynamics. As a manager, be open to receiving these news and evaluating what makes sense for the company's strategy and also for the current work culture. Always encourage suppliers to bring news and innovative ideas about the service they provide or new scopes of service that they can add to current services.

- Durchführung von gemeinsamen Workshops, z.B. mit Bereichsverantwortlichen zu IT-Themen (Digitalisierung, KI, ...) - Mitarbeit von Vertretern der externen IT Dienstleistern in Unternehmens-Projekten

Em um ambiente tecnológico em constante evolu??o, a capacidade de ajustar planos e estratégias conforme necessário é crucial. Demonstrar flexibilidade permite que você responda de maneira eficaz a mudan?as inesperadas e desafios, enquanto a adaptabilidade garante que os fornecedores possam ajustar seus servi?os para atender às novas demandas. Essa abordagem colaborativa n?o apenas resolve problemas de forma mais eficiente, mas também fortalece a confian?a e a parceria. A disposi??o para negociar e encontrar solu??es mutuamente benéficas promove um ambiente de trabalho positivo e dinamico. Ao valorizar a flexibilidade e adaptabilidade, você cria um relacionamento resiliente e preparado para enfrentar as incertezas e oportunidades futuras.

Ability to ramp up or down the number of resources with clear guideline (lead time to source or terminate, core/flex resources count, approval process etc) is essential. Markets like Japan encourage, experiment, enjoy 'free' resources for a period especially younger talent. IT vendors leverage this to build long lasting relationship with the customer. It is important to understand this when designing contracts. In 'time and material' contracts, COLA (Cost Of Living Adjustment) increase is generally traded for a committed capacity in Japan. It is not unusual here to see contracts running for decades without an increase in unit price instead capacity grows steadily. Including a KPI on skill development is also helpful.

Investir em relacionamentos de longo prazo com fornecedores de servi?os de TI n?o apenas fortalece a estabilidade operacional, mas também abre portas para inova??o contínua e colabora??o estratégica. Ao entender profundamente suas metas e valores, podemos explorar oportunidades além do horizonte imediato, como parcerias estratégicas que impulsionam o crescimento mútuo. Essa abordagem n?o apenas maximiza o valor dos investimentos, mas também solidifica uma base para o sucesso sustentável no mercado dinamico de hoje.

Let's just call it a marriage of terms and mutual benefit. Key is not who comes out stronger and a winner, but both appears victorious in this partnership that benefits both parties.

Encare a parceria com prestadores de servi?os de TI como uma alian?a contínua, n?o apenas um contrato temporário. Dedique-se a entender seu funcionamento interno, posi??o competitiva e metas futuras. Isso possibilita identificar formas de coopera??o que transcendam tarefas imediatas, como colabora??es estratégicas ou sociedades conjuntas, trazendo vantagens duradouras para ambos.

- gemeinsame Erarbeitung einer ITC Strategie basierend auf der Unternehmensstrategie - definieren der kurz-, mittel- und langfristigen ITC Zielsetzungen mit entsprechendem Massnahmenplan / Budget - abgestimmte Strategische Projekt-Planung

Building a relationship with IT service vendors is like planting a tree – it takes time, care, and a long-term mindset. Invest in understanding their capabilities, fostering trust, and nurturing the partnership. Over time, this tree will bear fruit, leading to a strong, reliable relationship that can weather any storm. So, water that tree, give it some sunlight, and watch it grow!

Trust the expertise and recommendations of your IT partners. When you partner with an IT or cybersecurity company, take the time to understand the scope of services they're capable of providing and compare that to what you are consuming. You may not be consuming all the possible services you need to be, or you may be under the false assumption that you have more services than you actually do. Recognize the difference between service and support costs (paying for labor to administer systems) vs. licensing costs for apps and platforms (the systems that empower you to achieve outcomes) themselves.

It is important to collaborate and ensure that the right resources are on the job either from your side or the vendor. Stress on Partnership model v/s contractual model. You get long term commitment and they become your partner in profit and los