Choose a systems integrator

A “how-to” guide for the appropriate match.

Using a systems integrator (SI) should be a positive experience for a company. To start, speak with SIs who have done similar work, can provide references, and allow customers to meet with their technical teams. Understand exactly who will be working on the company’s project. Many integrators act as contractors, hiring other people or teams to fill the gaps in their experience. Be wary of an integrator that subcontracts too much of the job. Adding layers complicates a project, and often escalates the price. 

Finding an SI that has completed multiple installations exactly like that of a potential customer can be difficult. Focus instead on similar experiences and competence with like technology. Consider the integrator’s other experiences. If the project spans multiple countries, does the integrator have experience with global implementations? A partner able to do business in a variety of countries might be more valuable than a perfect technical match.

Face-to-face or telephone meetings with the integrator’s network architect, designers and program managers will tell much about its capabilities, work habits and culture. Ask which technology certifications they hold, and how much time they devote to training. 
Research the integrator’s financial stability and reputation via public sources, such as quarterly and annual reports for publicly traded firms, Dun and Bradstreet, and simple Internet checks of popular online sources like corporateinformation.com and hoovers.com.

Customer references are another important tool in measuring the integrator’s viability, experience and capabilities. Ask what other customers were happy about, and what they would have changed. Ask how the integrator solved problems, worked with the team and managed relationships. Visiting a customer site is also a good investment, and is a good rule of thumb if upward of $500,000 is being spent on an implementation.

From the start, clearly define terms. When the company wants documentation, be specific. Does the purchasing department need special information? Does the company need written reports, or is e-mail better? Define each phase of a project. Spell out milestones, deadlines and completion dates for both parties, and implement reviews accordingly.

Although a timeline may have been established, plan for stages when it might go awry. Most schedules miss at least one deadline, turning a project into a work in progress rather than a concrete plan. Before things get out of hand, have a plan in place when a problem arises–including a contact person, and the time when it is appropriate to escalate issues. Consider building in notification procedures, where both parties give fair warning when a deadline is going to be missed. 

Hire an independent integrator that can provide solutions from a variety of vendors. If an integrator is pushing a particular solution, ask one question: How will this solution help the company today and in the future? 

If a company is having a hard time getting a project off the starting block, ask the integrator to forecast the payback or overall costs for a new technology. An integrator should respect a company’s decision to pull back. 

A good integrator will work with a company to solve its current problems, while laying a foundation that best positions the company to grow when budgets are available or circumstances are right. A better integrator will make sure a company is not getting stuck with technology that is on the verge of becoming obsolete, or that will hinder the company’s future growth. 

Customers must honestly spell out business needs and market drivers in order to get a viable answer. While no integrator can provide an exact answer–and no company can predict every business scenario–with an open exchange of information, the integrator should be able to provide a ballpark estimate of risks and potential rewards.

Finally, consider not just the project at hand but the company’s future needs, as well. After the implementation is complete, will the integrator be available to help with ongoing service and support? 

Once a relationship is developed with an integrator, nurture it. Trust builds over time, and when the company and its integrator work together as a team on multiple projects, each successive one gets easier to manage and implement. 

For more information from Getronics:
www.rsleads.com/212cn-263

Judy Matthys is U.S. practice director in the advanced networks group at Getronics, Billerica, MA.

Good news for 2003

Forty-one percent of IT executives surveyed by IT solutions provider Getronics and research firm IDG expect to increase IT spending in 2003–by an average of 20%. An equal number of the 450 executives polled say their companies will spend the same as in 2002, while only 14% predict lower spending next year.

Spending on e-commerce initiatives is cited by 37% as their top IT project area in 2003, while nearly a third say they will focus on data warehousing and 20% plan to make security a priority. Almost one in five companies says it will increase spending on IT outsourcing.