The Power Of Partnerships

Specialized ISVs and system integrators focus on delivering their specific products/services, and not using other partners can lead to missed opportunities for a larger, more impactful solution. Staying focused on our core competencies—enterprise project and portfolio management—allows us to serve our clients best, and we often find the need for other technologies to complement or augment our solution.

Nowhere is this more evident than the integration of Microsoft Dynamics products with Office System offerings. The tight ties of a financial accounting solution with enterprise project management and document management enables the client to have cohesive and accurate information through the entire life cycle. Here are four ways a partner can grow business while working with other partners.

First, know the business issues. It's always a good idea to get a complete understanding of the client's business. While this is the normal course of action for most system integrators, many ISVs focus solely on the sale/implementation of their product. While that is important, a more successful relationship with the client will develop if, as you gather requirements, you recognize other potential areas that can be addressed.

Second, know the Microsoft stack. Understanding how the vendor's tools and technologies interact with other systems is key. Whether or not your firm has a competency in a particular technology is not as important as understanding how both heterogeneous and homogeneous platforms meet client needs.

Third, know the Microsoft partners. Many specialized ISVs work on specific industry solutions, and being able to speak to this with a client as you prepare to deploy a portal can be instrumental in its success. Participate in the various regional events at the Microsoft local offices, and learn which go-to partners are successful. Most partners are approachable and willing to co-partner for a greater solution.

Fourth, look at the big picture. There are many third-party add-on tools for the Microsoft stack that can make a solution more robust. For SharePoint, check out CorasWorks, Meridio, Brightwork and Tsunami, which can add functionality as well as tighter integration with ERP or other systems. Your architects should be looking at these toolsets as ways to enhance and shorten the solution implementation time frames and extending the platform.

An example: Last year, Pcubed got a call from a pharmaceutical marketing company looking to establish enterprise project management in its native business processes. Looking beyond IT, the company wanted to adopt the structured methodology and processes of project management to help when rolling out new products, as well as manage client advertising work and custom application development for client Web sites.

It seemed like a relatively straightforward implementation. Upon completing the up-front requirements gathering, we realized the customer wanted to move from its legacy financial system to Dynamics SL and was already engaged with Queue Associates, a well-known Gold Certified Partner we have worked with in the past. Normally, the two projects would be separate. But we immediately found that Dynamics SL offers a Project connector to provide direct financial information to and from Project Server.

We participated in the design and planning phase of the Dynamics SL implementation, and conversely, brought Queue Associates into our planning. We also looked at using some exclusive third-party tools from other partners, including K2.net for workflow and integration with the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server platform. As deployment occurred, we brought in the Institute for International Learning to train the managers. Client satisfaction was very high, and the CEO recognized the overall work of Pcubed, Queue Associates and IIL as transformation agents.

By partnering with a solution provider with a different skill set, an ISV with key expertise, and a training partner we were all able to build a fuller, better solution in less time than had we gone it alone.

More on Pcubed, go to www.pcubed.com.