Ask a Partner About the Mistakes That Were Made
The right partner will have firsthand experience from diverse IT implementations, enabling them to guide you away from common and costly project failures.
Did you hear about the failed video conferencing project?
During a global stakeholder meeting, an IT team deployed new video conferencing software without testing a default echo feature. Every participant heard their voice echoing back, disrupting the meeting until someone identified and fixed the setting. While relatively minor, this incident demonstrates how overlooked technical details can compromise professional operations.
Consider the failed ERP rollout by a food distributor.
The implementation failed when the new ERP system couldn't properly track inventory levels or product quality. The distributor, known for delivering perfectly ripened produce, lost significant inventory when the system disrupted its tracking capabilities. The financial impact extended beyond unsold inventory to damaged customer relationships and market reputation.
Then there's the botched point-of-sale project by a national retailer.
The project manager underestimated integration requirements across their store network. The company operated parallel systems longer than planned, increasing costs and operational complexity.
Technology implementation failures happen more often than you think.
The consequences range from embarrassing to catastrophic, yet they continue occurring despite extensive planning and substantial investments. While we hear about these examples, business leaders and IT buyers often don't investigate further because they lack trusted information sources.
IT buyers, especially procurement managers, often view technology vendors and their partners skeptically. They question recommended solutions and associated costs, particularly when projects involve multiple components and services. This skepticism, while understandable, can prevent organizations from fully utilizing partner expertise. They perceive vendors and their partners as biased information sources.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Technology partners earn "trusted advisor" status by consistently delivering successful implementations. Their business model depends on maintaining customer trust through proven results. Partners in established networks (like Zebra's) have encountered numerous implementation scenarios and developed practical solutions to common challenges.
These partners serve multiple critical functions:
They identify implementation requirements that internal teams might miss.
They understand integration complexities across different systems and environments.
They recognize potential failure points based on previous implementations.
They provide realistic assessments of the total cost of ownership (TCO).
They help organizations avoid common implementation pitfalls.
Why am I telling you this?
If you are planning any technology implementations – no matter how small or large, simple or complex – you should engage partners early and extensively. Ask about similar implementations, both successful and unsuccessful. Request specific examples of integration challenges and their solutions. Discuss ongoing support requirements and potential scaling issues.
The technology industry's focus on innovation and new capabilities sometimes overshadows implementation realities.
While products may work perfectly in isolated environments, real-world implementation involves complex integration challenges and organizational changes. Technology partners can help you navigate these challenges based on practical experience.
Plus, successful technology implementation requires more than selecting the right products. It demands an understanding of how those products integrate with existing systems and processes. If you find the right partner, their expertise will help you bridge the gap between product capabilities and practical implementation requirements.
If you treat technology partners as strategic advisors rather than just product suppliers, you can expect to achieve better implementation outcomes. You will benefit from the partner’s accumulated industry experience and be able to avoid common implementation pitfalls.
While this approach might require a higher initial investment, it usually costs less than recovering from failed implementations.
What to Read Next:
The Magic of Technology Begins and Ends with Partners
Should you bring in a partner to help you research, design, or implement business technology? Or should you handle everything in house? Larry Walsh, CEO, Chief Analyst & Founder of Channelnomics, explains exactly how resellers, systems integrators, and service providers can help you most effectively translate concepts of how you want things to work into reality.
The Crucial Role of a Lead Partner in Complex IT Projects
When working with an ecosystem of partners on digital transformation or other complex IT/OT projects, it can be advantageous to have one partner who leads the charge. Larry Walsh of Channelnomics explains why in this blog post.
Working With Partners Means Never Going It Alone
When it comes to technology implementations, there's never benefit in trying to go it alone. You always need to bring in someone who knows the technology tools you want to use. They'll help you get things working perfectly. But should you try to find one partner who can “do it all”? Or is it better to assemble a team of experts to help you manage the IT/OT convergence and achieve your business objectives? Larry Walsh, CEO and Chief Analyst, Channelnomics, helps answer those questions.
Larry Walsh is the CEO, chief analyst, and founder of Channelnomics. He’s an expert on the development and execution of channel programs, disruptive sales models, and growth strategies for companies worldwide.
