Most companies invest between 2% to 5% of their turnover in ICT per annum. Why is it then that many a multimillion-rand investment in the latest and greatest technology may only unlock between 30% to 40% of the value of the investment? The answer is simple: most provider companies drop the technology product (box) and disappear, leaving staff and users unfamiliar with and/or resistant to the new technology.
Says Abrie Peens, regional sales manager at Comparex Africa: "The current economic climate demands that we unlock the maximum value of an ICT solution. Errors and inefficiencies due to insufficient knowledge and/or incorrect implementation could negate the value of the entire investment."
He argues that drop-the-box companies really just respond to a request for a quote and offer a product at the lowest price, without adding value. "Contrary to this, we invest time and money with our clients, training our staff to be able to ask the kind of questions necessary to develop an appropriate solution to help the client reach their business goals."
Absa has experienced the difference first hand, through a project partnership with Comparex Africa since 1995, when Nortel was chosen for the bank`s wide area network (WAN). In the years that have followed, the Nortel solution has been extended to the campus and other key areas, through Comparex Africa`s involvement and support.
"It really boils down to this: do you want a vendor to drop the product and disappear, or do you want a partner who participates in the solution, offers a whole range of services and also shares in the associated risks?" says Helmut Oellerman, Absa group consultant (telecommunications).
He says the main differentiating factor is the value added through training, support, guidance, and the transfer of knowledge.
Says Comparex Africa business executive Graham Roberts: "The knowledge transfer after the implementation is essential, but we also make sure we know our clients intimately and perfectly understand their needs beforehand. We must be able to consult to our clients from a solid knowledge base."
Peens says research into the applicability of solutions to specific vertical sectors including financial services, retail, mining, petro-chemical, manufacturing, government and health is conducted on an ongoing basis within the company, and passed on to clients. "We have a track record of consistently delivering what we promise, an achievement we could not boast without the ongoing investment in our own skills and capabilities."
Business performance is boosted, as much through delivering and integrating the hardware and software solutions tailor-made for that business, as through the learning and skills upgrade process itself.
Says Roberts: "Companies believe they know for themselves what they need; they have access to information on the Net and can go directly to the vendors. However, they need to realise that just buying the system is one small part of the total investment. Change management, maintenance, upgrades, etc, all need to work together to tie the ICT solution in with the business strategy."
Companies should therefore insist on long-term service delivery agreements, something that once again sets solutions providers apart from drop-the-box companies, who really just offer a transactional relationship.
Over the years, Comparex Africa has developed an effective client engagement model, enabling the internal team, in partnership with the client, to work through a very specific process to understand the fundamental requirements of the job ahead.
Peens and Roberts urge companies to think strategically and long-term, assessing the current ICT investment in light of what business and clients may look like 10 years from now. A knowledgeable, value-adding solutions provider can assist in putting together an ICT road map to align the technology with the business vision and deliver a strong, consistent return on investment.
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