Without the Right Solutions Partner… You Can Get Screwed

A solutions partner is a consultancy that gives professional advice that assist in device evaluation, strategy, tactical implementation, and hands-on operation.  The right solutions partner helps you not get…well…. screwed.  I know that might be in bad taste…well it is in bad taste, but at times strong words are needed.   Like when one of our hospital clients, before they partnered with us, bought 200 wired printers when they needed wireless printers.  And the big box web store would not assist in finding a solution.  The result… $150,000 of misspent capital, the board of directors shutting down the budget, and an IT director out of a job.  

Eventually we had multiple eval devices in their hands, walked through the workflow, received input from all stake holders, and found the best price.  And if there had been a mistake (there wasn’t), it would have been on us.   For this client, it jokingly came to be referred to as the unscrewing process. 

A capable solutions partner is results oriented, focused on helping you demonstrate a ROI, and present every step of the way until the project is up and running to your satisfaction.  Every hospital is a bit different in personality, IT infrastructure, and workflow.  No doubt, you will encounter bumps in the road and having a trusted solutions partner is imperative to achieving good outcomes.  

Priorities for selecting a solutions partner:

·       Insist on experience. 

·       Ensure that they are device “agnostic.”

·       Make sure your solutions consultant is straightforward and transparent.