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How do you manage and negotiate relationships with technology vendors to ensure you get the best value and support?

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2 Answers
Technology Management
  1. Ignacio Castroverde
    Ignacio Castroverde

    Cisco Senior Director, Global SMB & Mid-Market Sales Acceleration and Program Office • 7mo

    The key for me is treating vendors as partners. I invest the real time up front walking them through my outcomes, what are the problems I need solved and what “good” looks like. We put in place a shared success plan (metrics, milestones, owners), SLAs and an escalation path and we do QBRs tied to results, not vanity. I also like pilot/ramped contracts, pricing linked to adoption and impact, and seeing the product roadmap. I like to give them guarded room to experiment and innovate against my goa ...Read More

    402 Views
  2. Bridget Hudacs
    Bridget Hudacs

    Knowledge Vortex Salesforce Functional Analyst • 2y

    To negotiate relationships with technology vendors, the short answer is: come to the table prepared. Know the (rough) amount of licenses that you're looking to acquire. You don't have as much negotiating power if you're looking for 1 or 2 licenses compared to 10+. Know what you're looking for with a technology solution: What are your non-negotiables? What are you willing to negotiate or trade off on? Understand what the competitors have to offer. Perhaps they have a capability that you're intere ...Read More

    857 Views

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