All kinds of factors go into selecting your tech vendors. Based on our 25 years of service in the networking business, we’d like to share four of the things we believe the best tech vendors have in common, regardless of whether they are selling software, hardware, or services. And, we’d like to hear from you: Please scroll down to take our poll on what factors are most important to you when working with your tech vendors. If our list is missing something important, we’d like to hear about it.
1. They treat you as a partner.
To good vendors, customers aren’t invoices. Customers are people who are treated as valuable partners. Good vendors will take the time to listen to your problems and work with you collaboratively to find solutions. The best vendors know that your success is their success. Customer service will be high on their list of priorities, which also means that they will be responsive and available when you need them.
2. They sell you what you need, not what they need to sell.
Quality vendors put your requirements ahead of their inventory or sales quotas. If they’ve taken their time to hear about your business needs, then they won’t take up your time trying to push products or services that aren’t right.
3. They have repeat or long-term customers.
If you’re choosing a new vendor – especially for a big investment like a software platform you’ll be using for a while – ask them for references. Find out how long those customers have been with them and what kind of service their references received in that period.
4. They have clear contracts and pricing.
There should be no surprises on your invoices. The same goes for contracts and service agreements. Good vendors are up front about clauses in your agreements that could affect the price or level of service you get. They’ll make sure you understand the terms of your relationship rather than trying to bury them in long, detailed documentation.
Now, we’d like to hear from you. What factors are most important to you in selecting a tech vendor?
