Businesses looking to turbocharge their growth need more than a traditional IT provider.
Instead, if they’re looking to harness the power of digital transformation to boost efficiency and expand into new markets – while simultaneously protecting their data and assets – they need an IT partner.
That means identifying a supplier that builds a comprehensive understanding of their organization, devises a tailored strategy for realizing their goals and collaborates closely throughout the implementation and evaluation stages.
At Stefanini, we refer to this approach as co-creation. Here, we explore how this works in practice and why it’s so valuable for businesses.
Customer Focus
When an IT supplier is a true partner, it offers complete focus on its clients’ specific requirements.
That means going far beyond providing a generic software solution or service desk offering. Instead, a true partner tailors every element of the collaboration according to a deep understanding of a client’s ambitions, strengths and areas for development.
Providing complete flexibility when it comes to devising a bespoke IT offering, these partners collaborate closely throughout the implementation stage, driving the business to its goals with a shared entrepreneurial spirit.
This encompasses training employees on realizing the full potential of digital transformation projects – including the best practice approach to different tools and techniques – ahead of evaluating the success of the implementation.
This approach provides immediate insight into whether client goals are on track, as well as whether any course correction is required.
As a result, ambitious business selecting IT suppliers should scrutinize the depth of a prospective supplier’s involvement in any engagement, as well as their reputation for exceeding expectations, which might include a high net promoter score (NPS).
Designed to Deliver
For an IT supplier to act as a true partner, it needs more than good intentions. Exceptional service delivery needs to be inherent to the company culture and set up.
This might, for example, mean embracing a nearshoring approach, which combines the cost-efficiency of offshoring with the cultural familiarity and similar timezone of a local supplier.
Alternatively, a supplier might have been founded with a family ethos, where effective teamwork, close collaboration and an elevated commitment to exceptional service becomes part of its DNA.
Additionally, the company might be committed to expanding rapidly and establishing a global presence, which means it has the ability to act as a true partner across all markets where its clients are active.
Innovation
IT suppliers that are partners rather than providers must also remain fully committed to a culture of innovation.
This enables them to develop and invest in the latest solutions – including new AI and machine learning technologies – to remain at the forefront of the industry, equipped with the necessary tools to support their partners in realizing their goals.
Ultimately, when an IT supplier is a partner rather than a provider, it recognizes that it only truly succeeds when its clients do. Fortunately, by embracing the right ethos, customer focus and tools, it’s possible to co-create incredible business results by harnessing a best practice approach to IT.
