Helping Your Vendors and Account Managers Help You

Author: Maha Kashani, Cincinnati Bell

April 2010

In the words of Jerry McGuire: “Help me, help you.” Are you helping your key vendors best serve your organization? If you answered “No”, then you are not alone. It is important to remember the central role that key vendors play in your IT operations. Developing strong rapport with your Account Manager and maintaining a solid relationship with your Account Team will reinforce their commitment to your organization. Here are some tips for helping your key vendors help you:

1. It’s all about communication. Every IT organization is different, so it is important for your Account Manager to understand each department’s culture and how your organization does business. Keep them informed about upcoming initiatives and priorities while openly addressing the challenges your IT organization faces. Make them feel like part of the team. Open channels of communication will allow your Account Manager to better assist and support your business operations.
2. Free consulting. It doesn’t get any better than free! Vendors have valuable consultant resources available to their customers that are often underutilized. Starting a new project? Don’t hesitate to tap into the expertise that is available from your Account Team. Creative collaboration with subject matter experts will often result in the development of a cost effective solution that can also increase operational efficiencies. Vendors can help give you the tools and knowledge you need to be successful. Take advantage of these resources to give your organization an edge when it comes to strategy!
3. Understand the competitive landscape. The days of vendor or product monopolies are over. Everyone has options, which keeps our business landscape competitive. Take the time to research fair market value of the products and services you are about to purchase. Ask your Account Manager to speak to the competitive landscape in the marketplace. Be weary of Account Managers and Vendors who trash their competitors. They should be knowledgeable about their organization as well as outside competition and be able to explain why a partnership with their organization is the best solution for your business. Although price is important, focus on the value of a long term relationship that is mutually beneficial.
4. Long term partnerships are priceless. Constantly changing vendors to save a penny can cause hassle, headache and even cost more money in the long run. Find a dependable vendor that has shown a commitment to your organization as a long term partner should hold a higher value. If you are in the process of evaluating new vendors, take the time to learn more about each vendor and their company history. Asking questions will help you better understand how their business operates. Long term relationships lead to trust, powerful collaborative efforts and preferential treatment. A true partner becomes part of your team, they are invested in your organization and each project becomes their own.
5. Take advantage of seminars, webinars, trainings and demos. Are you up to date on Avaya’s Nortel migration roadmap? Or Hosted PBX in the Cloud technology? How about the top 15 Blackberry apps for IT Professionals? Vendors have an obligation to keep their customers well educated about landscape changes and emerging technologies. These types of services are value added benefits that are of no cost to you as a customer and can be useful as a workforce training tools. Knowledge is power. Ask your Account Manager to keep you in the loop on any upcoming educational events. Leverage that knowledge to be ahead of their market.
6. Remember, vendors are in business to make money too. If constantly leaning on vendors to cut costs, then eventually you can expect a lower quality of service or force your long time partner to walk away from the table. Don’t give up your strong partnership for a completely transactional relationship. It is important to focus on the quality, service and added value of your vendor relationships, not solely price. Your Account Manager should be viewed as a partner creating win-win situations to accomplish goals that satisfy both sides.

Maha is a Sr. Account Manager for Cincinnati Bell providing telecommunication and technology solutions to Dayton Area IT organizations. Maha is currently enrolled in the Leadership Dayton Class of 2010 and sits on the Generation Dayton steering committee as Employer Relations Chair. For more information, please contact Maha at 937-671-7900 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it