Smart businesses know the value of partnerships. Research shows that organisations that outperform others have been found to spend more time (23%) on the practice, irrespective of their size and operating sector. However, it also shows that businesses spend less time on partnering than they would like, which potentially indicates that while there is a drive to partner up, the process needs to be streamlined. But what are the benefits of such an arrangement? When it comes to the technological side, there are tangible positives, writes Ettiene van der Watt, Regional Director, Middle East and Africa, Axis.
Smart businesses know the value of partnerships. Research shows that organisations that outperform others have been found to spend more time (23%) on the practice, irrespective of their size and operating sector. However, it also shows that businesses spend less time on partnering than they would like, which potentially indicates that while there is a drive to partner up, the process needs to be streamlined.
A roundhouse solution to this is partner programmes. A common trend among businesses, these programmes are dedicated initiatives that engage with and connect entities via a shared supplier or service provider. But what are the benefits of such an arrangement? When it comes to the technological side, there are tangible upsides.
Characteristics and immediate benefits
A beneficial partner programme is defined by transparency, diversity, and commitment. Any business can manage a relationship between a client and supplier, but effective partnerships mean access to a diverse collection of experts and entities from across industries that share a common interest in evolving and improving them. Long-term commitments mean that partners support one another over the long term, resulting in support for whole business lifecycles.
If there is one guaranteed way to tell if a specific partnership will benefit your business, ask yourself whether having their name and logo featured alongside yours is a positive association. And in the case, it is – partner certification elevates the perspectives of both your existing and prospective clients.
To that end, it’s in the best interest of partners to deliver the best quality product or service they can. This is especially true in the security sector, where the performance of solutions has real-world measurements, and the consequences of failure or inadequacy can and will be felt, not only with infrastructure and people, but with future relationships and long-term business conductivity.
Balancing cost and value in technology sales
When choosing a security solution that best suits your needs, the priority must be to know what that solution is worth to you long after the initial purchase. The best practice is to calculate the total cost of ownership (TCO), which would include a comprehensive assessment of costs related to the acquisition, maintenance, end-user expense, and other variables that could amount to a loss.
This process can be easier to complete when it comes to the security sector as there are tangible indicators. For example, does this camera product lessen the possibility of crime in its situated area? But beyond those indicators, a partner programme allows you to engage with established technology vendors during the purchasing and ownership periods.
A value conversation is key, gathering testimonials and case studies that can assist you in determining important factors. These include direct and indirect product value, soft values, values created in new areas, and the values that are most pertinent to you. Our sector is driven by ideas of trust and reliability, with run-off objectives, such as sustainability that dictate your purchasing decisions. With the help of vendors and trusted partners, you gain insight into the systems you buy into and implement.
Collaboration and innovation
The combined knowledge and expertise from multiple businesses present an immediate opportunity to ask new questions and get fresh perspectives. A partner programme, especially one with an ecosystem that spans the globe, allows companies to engage with experts and share specialised information in areas they may lack or don’t have the capacity to accommodate themselves.
But this is not just one business chatting with another over the phone or teleconference. Partner programmes allow organisations to remain at the forefront of innovation and adopt new technologies. This is not a new trend. More than half of the recorded international partnerships in the 1990s were classified as contractual agreements, which included technology sharing.
When it comes to security and surveillance, it’s up to suppliers to be ahead of the pack when delivering comprehensive solutions for all clients. Therein lies the promotion of safety and other factors. By sharing and adopting multiple approaches and systems, companies can identify weaknesses in their products and services while also improving them to stay competitive. And with the help of a quality programme that hosts multiple platforms, there is an opportunity for effective integration of ideas and technologies.
By working together to compile extensive solutions in the present, businesses can get ready for the future and the many challenges it brings.