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.