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Before we get into how to pick a technology partner let me ask another question; have you ever thought about what your staff really does when your some or all of your IT systems are down?  I know you say they do all of the "other" things that they never get to do.  Yeah right.  I wonder if it really looks more like this: What Happens When the Network is Down .  I hope not, but with many businesses both large and small when you IT systems goes down it costs you large sums of money per minute because the work you are expecting to get done isn’t happening.  So picking the right technology partner is critical to your success.

So what does it take to ensure that you pick a technology partner that can deliver what you need when you need it?  Recently Wendy Bahr talked about the value of picking the right technology partner on one of Cisco video BLOGs.  I think picking a partner is less about the certifications and tech know-how.  You expect a technology partner to be experts in the products they sell and service they offer.  You also expect good customer service.  If a technology company does have the know-how or doesn't treat you right you will leave them and they probably won't be in business very long.  So when picking a technology partner what is it you should be looking for?  I think it is about the understanding of and care for what your business does and what makes your business unique.  It is about how the technology will enable you to grow and/or improve.  When you are talking with someone and are considering a new technology partner you should be the one talking more than they are.  They should be asking questions about how your business runs, what your goals are and what is stopping you from reaching them.  Only once someone understands those things can they really begin to see how what they sell and do can offer you real benefit.  And it doesn't stop there, a true technology partner should be communicating with you about your business and where it is going on a regular basis.  Not every call or visit should be able selling something to you.  Good partners will spend their time to stay up to date on your industry and your business and want to provide research when they can.  So next time a technology company comes calling and starts talking about their latest product and its wonderful features and not talking about your business stop them and ask them to talk about how it will improve your business.  Don't let them get off talking about industry averages and generic RIO calculations, make them talk specifically to you and your operation.  If they can't then you know you don't have the right partner.

Have you ever had your time wasted by someone selling you a product instead of delivering you a business value?  Let me know about it.

This last week I saw a link to a PDF in the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce newsletter on preparedness for the Flu Season from the SBA (link below).  While this article was aimed at small business any organization can get items to take action on from it.  While I won’t argue whether the H1N1 flu is worse than the normal flu, I can tell you that I am seeing more of my employees either working sick or calling in due to illness than I have in the past 9 years I have been in business.  I can also tell you that with the talk last school year of having to close schools and daycares due to outbreaks every organization has to consider what they will do in the event of an outbreak that impacts them.  You can be impacted by either staff illness that requires them to not be at work or illness of family that requires employees to not be at work to provide care.  Taking the time to consider what your plan will be and putting it in writing may seem like an exercise that you can’t afford, but can you afford not to have a plan and have to wing it during an emergency.  An emergency plan that is in writing and distributed to the management and staff of an organization can help ensure that your organization can continue to function in the event of any major business interruption.  As a technologist, I think one of the biggest parts of your plan should be consideration for remote access tools so that those employees that would normally come to work and “play hurt” can still do so without having to come to the office and potentially cause others to get sick.  If you already have remote access in place then you should be testing it now so that you know how it will work during an event and if you don’t you should consider implementation now.  Also now is a good time to talk with your staff about their sick leave/PTO and how properly managing it will ensure that both the company and themselves will be covered if they have to be out.  You might also want to consider talking with your major suppliers, vendors and partners to see what their plans are since their action plan or lack of one can greatly impact how your organization will function.  I am reviewing our plan, making updates and testing our systems right now, shouldn’t you be also?

http://www.sba.gov/idc/groups/public/documents/sba_homepage/sba_h1n1.pdf
(The article also has a page for steps individuals can take to stay healthy and what to do if they get sick.)

I am always open to sharing what we are doing and would love to hear how you have planned and prepared for business interruptions.  So please post comments and/or email me with your thoughts.

rbetzel@infinitynetworks.net

I am very happy to announce that we have been ranked No. 1479 on the Inc. 5000 list for 2009!

The 2009 Inc. 5000 serves as a unique report card on the U.S. economy. Despite the ongoing recession, aggregate revenue among the companies on the list actually increased to $214 billion, up $29 billion from last year, with a median three-year growth rate of 126 percent. The Inc. 5000 are responsible for creating more than 1 million jobs since their founding, making the list perhaps the best example of the impact private, fast-growing companies can have on the economy.

Read the press release to see what Rob had to say about this honor.

I should also mention that we were one of only 4 middle Georgia companies to make the list. A big congratulations to Birch Communications, ShuBee Inc, and The Wire Shop!

See the full list at inc.com