IT Vars: To Have a Partner, Be a Partner | Cloud Solutions For IT Providers

In the world of information technology, the term partner is thrown around like fastballs on a baseball diamond.

Sadly, unlike the fastball which is as pure as the game of baseball itself, Partnership in the world we live in seems to often be merely the find/replace function for the word customer or vendor.

But nonetheless the word is used anyway.

And to that point, I actually believe that the majority of those that use the word are with good intention, but intention to be a partner and being one isn’t the same thing.

Partnership means give and take. Much like a marriage or a close friendship.

Further it means to make certain sacrifices for the greater good.

In the case of IT partnerships this can mean going the extra mile to deliver a good customer experience or missing the next sale to make sure the last one went well.

What IT partnership means is that Both, not one of the organizations involved in the partnership are willing to give an equal effort into the relationship to make it succeed.

Much like the work that needs to go into a human relationship. Business partnerships are much the same.

Considering companies are ultimately comprised of people, this actually doesn’t surprise me that much.

Business is inherently human.

So for a partnership to succeed, we have to nurture it and invest in it, or what we have isn’t really a partnership at all.

Here are some things to consider if you want to build strong partnerships.

Before entering a partnership

Do both parties understand their commitment? Expectations are worth their weight in gold and a partnership that doesn’t set expectations for both sides aren’t going to succeed.

Does everyone have Skin in the game? Too often a partnership is built on a list of demands by one side and a list of liabilities without commitment on the other side. This type of partnership builds a weak foundation that limits upside.

With Your Current Partners

Am I getting what I expected from the partnership? Moreover, am I giving to the partnership what I had committed to? If yes, to the first question then make sure that the answer is yes to the second question as well. If no to the first question and yes to the second that you need to either realign or exit as what you have isn’t a partnership. If yes to the first and no to the second then you need to focus on being a better partner or your so called partner may just find another route.

Here is the good news.

Great partnering opportunities are out there. For IT providers and really in any business. But it is critical that you find them. And if what you are in isn’t a partnership, then take the steps to recognize it and react so that you don’t end up setting your business up for failure.

One thing is for sure. In the IT world customers, integrators, service providers and manufacturers do need each other.

Beyond that it is up to us to make that happen.

We are here to partner with companies looking to deliver best of breed cloud solutions. Are you ready? Click here for more information.

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