eighteen | process
SDI Insights
“Ultimately, the best and most proactive
software vendors are driven to understand Be clear about what you How do you maintain the
the customer requirements. They will be want… relationship…
communicating regularly with end users Whoever is responsible for implementing the Unfortunately, there are a number of vendors
and looking to work with them to help product within your organisation will need to (not just ITSM vendors) who, once they have
shape future requirements for the IT service put together the ‘Design and Functionality you signed up and the product launched,
management industry.” Specifi cation’ document. This document tend to leave you high and dry, while they
needs to clearly outline required functionality, pursue new customers. There are several
A Successful Relationship both mandatory and desirable. Whether the vendors who admit to prioritising new clients
Back, then, to the SDI’s question at its product needs to link with any other systems over and above long-term clients when it
annual conference this year, namely: ‘In and what the design requirements are, if any. comes to patches and upgrades.
your experience, do you think that the ITSM This document should be a shopping list of So how do you make sure that this doesn’t
software vendors have a good understanding everything you want. It should clearly make happen to you? It comes back to doing your
of your business objectives?’ In response to your requirements obvious to someone who research. If you make the effort to speak to
the large proportion of ‘Nos’ and ‘Sometimes’, doesn’t have an in-depth understanding of other clients beforehand, you will be able to
SDI has put together some top tips for ITSM your service desk. fi nd out how they treat their customers. Make
professionals to help them become more sure that these clients aren’t all recently
attuned with their customers and so help Pick the right vendor and signed up, but have been with the vendor for
them to deliver what is actually needed, rather do your research… a number of years. At the end of the day, your
than what the vendors assume is needed. Picking the right vendor sounds quite obvious company will be working with this vendor for
These tips are meant for those either starting but a lot of vendors will promise to fulfi l a signifi cant period of time, so you must make
out with a new vendor or trying to get the all your requirements, whether or not they sure that you invest a signifi cant portion of
most out of their current relationship. actually can. It is defi nitely worth meeting up your time assessing how the vendor treats
with the some of the vendor’s other clients to customers, old and new.
“Talk to other customers review the product in a real ‘live’ environment. If you fi nd yourself high and dry, then
within the supplier
This will give you an excellent insight into you need to work this out with your vendor.
community who are
the product’s functionality and suitability. Arrange a meeting, and explain exactly what
Also make sure that all your requirements you need and why. If your requirements are
using similar solutions,
are covered off under the total price. Don’t sensible, then your vendor should bend over
visit supplier sites to
just assume that the product does all that backwards to rectify the situation.
the vendor promises. You may have to pay for
see how they operate additional functionality further down the line It is in the vendor’s best
and understand their
and that can be expensive. interests to help you out…
level of professionalism.
It is in the vendor’s best interests to keep
Maintenance, Maintenance, you on-side throughout the project and after
Find out where they sit
Maintenance! the launch, as you will be their referral for
in the market, who their
One of the most likely areas to be a source new business. If you aren’t getting what you
of dispute is support and maintenance. need, in terms of support and maintenance,
competitors are and
Make sure that when you sign up to the the vendor should bend over backward to
what they are offering.
vendor’s Terms & Conditions, the Support help you. The major problems occur if the
Very few suppliers deliver
and Maintenance Policy adequately refl ects product doesn’t do what you need it to when
your support and maintenance needs. Is help it comes to functionality. This is why it is so
alone, so end users available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Is important that customers get the design and
need to understand the
there an additional charge for out-of-hours functionality specifi cation right. If customers
support? Will you receive on-site assistance? forget a crucial requirement post launch,
supply chain.” Jennifer Macniven,
If so, what determines this? Will you be there is very little they can do (without paying
required to upload patches to the software? signifi cant amounts) to get this new function
In conclusion, as BBC Worldwide’s Emerson Install new versions? How will this affect implemented.
Freedman rightly points out, buy-in has liability? Make sure that you have a support
to be there for all parties involved - from and maintenance policy that fi ts your needs
top to bottom of the organisation – if the and don’t be afraid to ask for amendments. If
The SDI and Hornbill
engagement is to prove feasible long term. what you are asking for is sensible, there is no
Interactive Survey
“That is absolutely critical,” he says. “Without reason why the vendor can’t accommodate
report can be
buy-in, none of this can work.” your request.
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august.september | 2009 www.supportworld.co.uk
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