Submitted by Julian Shaw on 18 July 2011 - 12:00am
Sometimes it takes a lot of work to get something. And sometimes when you get it you end up thinking ‘Meh! And now what?’
This happens sometimes with business - you wonder why you bothered. I heard of a company who jumped through hoops getting accreditation from a professional accountancy body for their software. It took an inordinate amount of time and effort, with every element of their calculations checked and re-checked, subjected to the most rigorous testing you can imagine. Even the most obscure and unlikely scenarios were thoroughly audited and approved. In the end, they got the approval they sought. So they duly plonked the logo declaring as such on their software packaging and website... and it improved their sales not a jot.
So why do companies bother?
Of course, in a round-about way I’m talking about Assimil8 becoming IBM Premier Partners. It’s been a long road, and we’ve had to prove a lot to IBM about us: What we know; what we have achieved; and, as much as anything, what we stand for as a company.Let’s have a look at that last part.
Why should our ethos matter? Isn’t it just a question of showing what we know and ticking all the product boxes? Of course it isn’t. IBM are rightly aware that the way customers are treated is vital. They would not allow anyone to become a partner in the first place without them undertaking to offer a certain level of customer service. To be even considered as a partner of any level necessarily implies that degree of care to clients.
Again, why did we bother?
In this case it was a case of showing we have what it takes. On all fronts.
Take accountancy: did you know you can practise as an accountant without any qualifications at all? It means anyone can say “I do accountancy services” without any come-back at all. But, quite sensibly you wouldn’t take on an accountant without seeing a raft of certificates on their wall. These guarantee a level of knowledge and standards of customer care, backed by a well-known, respected institute.
Which is one of the reasons we do it. We know we’re good. We have nothing to prove to ourselves. But we have to make sure our clients are comfortable with that as well. And, tough though it is, getting Premier Partner status proves that. It’s almost a short-hand for excellence.
But it also opens up a whole range of services to us. We get more closely involved with IBM themselves. Of course this has benefits for us, but it also means we can offer a higher level of service to our clients. We’re able to talk to the right people, we know the latest developments and can promise our clients a cast-iron, rock-solid guarantee of expertise, experience and service without the need for lengthy investigations on their part.
So, why bother?
Well, because it brings genuine benefits to us and our clients. It works all ways. We have a short-hand way to show exactly how good we are; our clients and potential clients get an instant view of our standing; and IBM have a partner who they know and trust to deliver their products in the way they require.