More Relationship Talk
After my first article on relationships, I had all kinds of people offer me thoughts and feedback. It was fantastic, because I really like to see what others in the industry are thinking. It is clear to me that lots of people, including both Technology Mangers and integrators are thinking about these issues.
A couple of comments came in via the rAVe site’s comment section. One of the comments referenced the old addage, “look, but don’t touch.” This person was suggesting that you need to look around, keep your eyes open and know what equipment exists on the market. However, he also suggested that if what you are using is working, then why switch? He pointed to the fact that companies come and go all the time. Ten years ago, many may have settled on Sony for the displays (projectors and monitors). Today, not only is Sony more expensive, they have also lost significant market share. So, if you had invested time and money in training as a technician, or in spare parts, you may have been hesitant to move away from Sony. I think the point to remember here, is that no matter how dominant any one manufacturer seems at any point, there are ebbs and flows in every organization.
Another comment really struck me and got me thinking. It was suggested that by looking around at other vendors, or opening a bidding process, some vendors will undercut, perhaps losing money on the sale, simply to get (or keep) your business. In my view, this is a bigger problem with the bidding process in public institutions than it is with a vendor trying to get your business. You can not blame them for doing their job.
The thing that struck me most about the comment, is that it referenced installers and integrators, while my original article focused mainly on manufacturers. Of course, the same questions apply to our integrators and installers. Should you find one, develop a relationship and stick with them?
I will readily admit that my situation and experience in this is probably much different than most. In Maine, we have two or three integrators. We also have 10-12 large colleges/universities. So, for those few companies, our business is huge. Losing that business to a competitor would be a stiff loss for any company. We have been working with the same company for years, and probably purchase 95 percent or more of our equipment from that company. Any install or repair work we hire, also comes from this company.
So, do they have us “by the throat”? Perhaps, but if so, then we have them by the purse strings. After all, many companies would be happy to sell us equipment and get our install and repair business. So, our company needs to step up, particularly in the service area. Lucky for us (and them) they do. The result is that if we have a problem with a piece of equipment, one call to the company and they take care of everything. A new product is on the way and they take care of the return. I also feel that integrators and dealers are a little different from manufacturers. Mainly in the sense that you can tell them exactly what you need from them and expect to get it. If my dealer does not have a certain company on their line card, and I want to buy from that manufacturer, they had better become a dealer, or lose my business.
I can not expect that same type of response from a manufacturer. I can not expect a major manufacturer to develop one piece of equipment simply because it fits a need I have. What about when an integration company gets sold, or changes strategic direction? For example, what if they decide selling boxes is not in their business plan? Well, changing integrators would not be so hard as changing manufacturers. After all, there are hundreds of other integrators out there who would love to sell me boxes. I don’t believe the technology at Bates College would suffer because of that change, in the same way it could with a major change in manufacturers.
What do you think? Do you shop around for integrators and installers? Let me know, I look forward to hearing from you.