Building Strategic Vendor Relationships

Choosing a communications vendor is a strategic decision. As a long-term relationship, the vendor you choose is just as important as the technology you adopt – the vendor will help you improve, adapt, and grow your business through the tech you choose to implement. While this has always been the case, as how we communicate and collaborate continues to evolve, a strong relationship with an honest vendor can help you successfully navigate this transformation.  

 Qualities of a Good Vendor 

A good vendor is not just knowledgeable about their services but can be a valuable source of advice and opinions regarding your communications services. Here are some essential qualities to look out for when evaluating current and future vendors: 

• Freedom: Your vendor should encourage you to seek options that will help drive your business forward and provide guidance and expertise when needed while enabling you to make decisions best suited for your company. The technology you choose should fit your exact requirements instead of trying to make a solution work that won’t enable you to reach your goals.

• Collaboration: Vendors should seek to understand your goals and then work with you to develop a plan to get you there. This alignment ensures that both parties are on the same page to foster a successful relationship. If the vendor’s and your company’s priorities are misaligned, it will likely be an unsustainable partnership. 
  
  
• Reliability: Seek a vendor that instills confidence that they will be there when you need them. They should strive to deliver long-term value and have an open line of communication for questions and concerns. And, if they’ve made a mistake or have failed to deliver on a promise, the vendor should hold themselves accountable and mitigate the risk of the errors happening in the future.  

• Reputation: When choosing a new vendor, it can be a challenge to quantify how the new partnership will deliver value. Look at past successes and the vendor’s history of innovation to understand how they provide value and seek to keep pace with continually evolving technology.  

 Selecting a Vendor 

The bottom line is that a strong, aligned relationship with the right vendor gives you the confidence and freedom to achieve your business goals, embrace new technologies, and solve communication problems. If you’re uncertain about your current relationships, taking the time to carefully assess their performance can shed light on whether they’re the right or wrong option for your business needs.  

Not sure where to start? Download our helpful guide, “What Makes a Vendor Relationship Great?” BCS identifies the six essential qualities you should evaluate when assessing your vendor relationships and simple things you can look out for.  

If you confirm your doubts and think your relationship needs a change, BCS could help. Reach out to us to schedule a time to meet. We’re experts in evolving to meet your unique business needs and can help you develop your communications to where you want them to be. Our solutions provide long-term value and benefits beyond the here and now, and our track record speaks for itself.