Choosing the solution that’s right for your business is pretty important. But an equally important step for the success of your solution is choosing the implementation partner that’s right for you. Unfortunately, many businesses undervalue this phase of the decision-making process, and the results are not very pretty.
With best practices established in every industry, one might think evaluating technology partners is relatively unimportant. After all, every partner offers the same gist of “best practice” services, right? Wrong. Not all companies offer the same methods and services. Furthermore, not all servicesare performed in the same manner, and consequently, don’t achieve the same levels of value and efficiency. Choosing wisely in this area can, and usually does, mean the difference between the success and failure of your solution. Remember, it’s your unique needs that determine the partner that’s right for you, not just the solution you choose.
When evaluating Microsoft partners, use the following criteria as a general guide to help you reach the best possible outcome:
Industry Experience
Having a partner with experience in your industry facilitates a successful, rapid implementation. With a preexisting understanding of your industry, your partner can do a better job at suggesting relevant process improvements, best practices and additional solutions.
Partner Competency
Microsoft Partners are distinguished by their competency levels in the Microsoft Certification Program. Through this program, partners indicate their areas of focus and expertise with a competency logo that verifies that extensive certification requirements have been met for those areas. Although GP, NAV, and SL certifications have been discontinued for strategic purposes, partners can still indicate expertise for solutions like Dynamics CRM and Dynamics AX.
When choosing a partner, make sure their competencies align with your needs. It’s important that your solution is a priority of their business.
Service Offering
Does the menu of services offered by your partner fit the needs of your company? This is crucial in areas like post-implementation support. Most organizations require services in key areas like customization, training, user adoption and integration with other systems.
Client-Focused
Does your partner make it a priority to learn and thoroughly understand your business?
Translating business processes into effective workflows in CRM is a critical step in the implementation. Your partner cannot do this unless it takes the time and effort to understand the way your business works.
Involvement and Participation
Some partners actively participate in advising management, enhancing user adoption and training client employees. Others delegate those aspects to the client. Does your company have the resources to manage its own training and user adoption, or do you need a partner who can facilitate that for you?
Communication
As with any relationship, open communication is the key to success! Prompt responsiveness and transparency are important characteristics of a good implementation process. Communicating on a frequent, regular basis builds trust, maintains transparency, and fosters an overall healthy relationship both now and going forward.
ISV Relationships
Does your partner have good relationships with relevant Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)?
There is a vast network of ISVs established in the IT industry. These vendors develop and sell applications that integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics to provide additional functionality that isn’t originally included.
Microsoft Dynamics solutions are known to be the most ISV-friendly solutions in the market.
Microsoft’s strong network of partners allows the company to focus on updating and perfecting its products, while clients get the full, undivided attention of a partner with relevant expertise. Partners represent the last mile of implementation, specialization and support when it comes to Microsoft Dynamics business solutions. Consequently, they play an important role in the success of any Microsoft Dynamics implementation. Choosing the partner that’s right for you is what will determine the success of your solution.
Everyone wins when you choose the right partner!
If you would like to do more to maximize your Microsoft Dynamics investment, please schedule a Usability Assessment with Turnkey Technologies. During a Usability Assessment, we listen to existing challenges, reflect on the strengths of your business, and turn the information gathered into resolutions and opportunities to improve your business processes and maximize efficiencies. Our current clients experience a 20-30% increase in available time and data quality from our trainings and expertise alone. Please call 636-237-2280 or visit www.turnkeytec.com/crm-assessment/ for more information or to schedule an assessment!
By Brad Vorbeck, and Michael Ramatowski at Turnkey Technologies, Inc.– Microsoft Gold Certified Dynamics ERP & CRM Partner of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma.