What is a Technology Partner

A technology partner refers to an IT firm or company or offers services and support to satisfy the technical needs of your business. Some examples of a technology partner include:

• Telecoms Provider
• Software Development House
• Web Design Agency or Designer
• IT Distributor
• Cyber Security Partner
• IT Consultancy or Consultant
• Value-Added IT Reseller (VARs)
• Internet Service Provider (ISP)
• IT Support Provider
• Managed Service Provider (MSP)

The essence of technology partnerships is to enable businesses to implement and provide optimization for their technical systems. These partnerships usually exist between technology or IT vendors who offer the product and the agencies and firms who utilize these systems in their daily tasks.

7 Factors To Consider When Choosing A Technology Partner

Due to the development and speed of the internet and technology, technical information is readily available. The downside is anybody can easily decide to start a firm providing tech support and services online. Hence you come across unqualified people offering services that are not of a high standard, thus driving the level of competition up. As a result, many companies begin to compete on price, and this eventually leads to a saturated market.

However, there will be some firms that remain unaffected by the above-saturated market. They are the ones that wont lower their price and continue to do things their way. These are the right IT partners to watch out for. The pointers below will help you chose this kind of partners:

Area of Expertise

Before you choose a development company, check out whether they offer full-service development. It is because a full-service development company will assist you in creating a scalable product with the use of a specific technology. Another thing is that they also help you analyze market trends and select the best suitable business model.

Communication

Communication is a crucial factor to consider before you should choose a tech agency. Ensure to find out whether they have a good communication system in place. This is because a flawed communication system leads to a gap in calls, updates, and meetings.

Consequently, there will be a breakdown in the relationship. Your technology partner needs to be by your side so they would know if there is a change in the direction of your business. With a transparent communication system, they will adapt their technology solutions to your business shifts.

Internet Security, Data Management, and Data Privacy

You should ensure to check out if there are standard practices, processes, and procedures to enhance Cyber Security. Also, check out their thoughts on data privacy. And whether they do make it their priority to manage and protect your data.

Accreditations

Learn about the industry accreditations for that particular technology and see if it’s up to date. Ensure you find out if it meets the required standards. And also, if the IT agency is a member of any governing body?

Support and Maintenance

Nowadays, many of the firms now work on a white label model. However, the right technology partner never abandons its clients. It ensures your project is completed before the deadline. Also, they are always ready to go the extra mile to deliver the ideal product just in case you have any different customizations.

Cost and Financials Background

Cheap pricing will not get you the best of services. Always look out for red flags like drastic drop pricing and then run if they’re compromised in that model. Another thing you should do is to research the financial history of the company and directors. A third-party tool can be helpful in this regard.

Company Background

Even if you’re provided with their website, still seek a face to face meeting. Or better yet, look for both current and past clients. You should call them to get relevant details such as their relationship with the firm, their company performance, services, and more.

Signs You Need The Services of a Technology Partner

If any of the situations occur in your business system, it probably indicates you need to get a reliable tech partner to support your technical needs:

• There’s no reliable record to track the growing sales orders of your business effectively.
• There is simply no interoperability between dependent systems and processes.
• Your productivity is significantly reduced due to manual or disparate tracking processes.
• Your current system is limited, and as a result, you keep experiencing failures.
• Your inventory, accounting, or order processing are plagued with a lot of inconsistencies or inaccuracies.