As you’ve come to know, not every telecom provider is going to be a cohesive fit for your business and your unique needs. So what is the best way for your business to select an ideal candidate?
There is no definitive answer of what company is the ‘best’ telecom provider. Vendors excel in their own technology bases and within their own technology spheres. You, as a consumer and business, truly drive the answer of what telecom provider can best serve your business needs.
The best way to solicit responses from potential vendors and to select the best match is by conducting an RFP (Request for Proposal). There is no straightforward answer as to how a RFP should be created – It can be as simple as thorough as you’d like. Generally, the more information you provide about your business, the more precise vendors vying for your business can be in their proposals.
In the RFP process, ensure to include several vendors from the 3 tiers we discussed earlier (Full Service, Regional & Niche, and Product Type). Though you may be resistant to including vendors from a particular tier, keep in mind that these vendors have the propensity to drive all respondents’ efficiencies and to be more flexible in their contractual terms. Further, respondents may put emphasis on newer, less expensive technologies.
Keep your options open and include trusted, “old guard” companies, as well as, cutting edge companies on the cusp of breaking technology. It’s also a good idea to include smaller companies, which could sway all respondents to drive down costs. This opens the door to service solutions that you may not have previously considered or thought to be too expensive.
[author_bio username=”Ken” name=”yes”]
