Welcome to “Do IT Right,” a 9-part series on how to succeed in the most important areas of IT management. In this series we introduce you to Simmons & Hawking, a fictional law firm that is scaling up its outdated IT infrastructure, and how the relatable challenges faced by their IT stakeholders. In part 1, we met their IT Manager, Ethan, who learned the importance of a detailed solution design plan. Now it’s on to his next step: sourcing.
Feeling more confident in his abilities to revamp Simmons & Hawking’s outdated IT infrastructure, Ethan has a stable foundation for building a new infrastructure that will help his company scale efficiently and meet all of their ever-changing needs. A well-defined plan makes Ethan’s job feel less daunting. However, he has found himself in a new territory where challenges and confusion abound.
Solution design is only as good as Ethan’s ability to understand his options thoroughly and execute the steps correctly.
Ethan stares at the multitude of open tabs on his computer, sifts through countless emails regarding the specs of different products, services, and service providers. While he is glad to see there are ample products, providers, and solutions that fit the IT needs of his company, the endless options are overwhelming, and everything begins to blur together. Pricing varies from product to product and staying on track with his budget feels nearly impossible.
Having so many options paralyzes Ethan and he is not making decisions in a timely and budget-friendly manner. Again, he is feeling the pressure of his superiors to get the ball rolling, and it’s only making the job harder and more stressful. His timeline is stalling, and progress is nil.
Fortunately for Ethan, a solution to all of his problems exists.
Sourcing with the help of a one-stop shop provider with a designated platform makes finding products and services much simpler and faster. But even beyond a useful platform, Ethan needs to find a partner who is established and reliable. He doesn’t want to source every option; he only wants the best – so Ethan should only settle for a trusted partner that has built beneficial relationships with vendors and offers area expertise based on years of experience. Ethan can then confidently source his company’s needs through a highly curated shopping experience, searching for the exact services and products his company is looking for and choosing what he feels meets the requirements best. He can benchmark prices, manage quotes, and track the flow of options and orders every step of the way – knowing he is comparing the best possible solutions.
What can you take away from Ethan’s lesson?
- That bringing all of the pieces together in an efficient way will not only help an organization stay on budget, but will ensure that your business is getting exactly what it needs to grow and thrive.
- The assistance of subject matter experts to help you along the way eliminates a lot of pain and failure. Even the most conscientious IT professionals cannot do it all, all the time.
With the one-two punch of a sourcing management tool and talented service experts, you’ll be well on your way to finding your desired solutions quickly, easily, and efficiently.
