Choose and manage your IT supplier
Introduction
To get significant benefits from IT, you need to be able to trust your IT systems. This means having confidence in the company that supplies, manages and maintains them. Choosing the right IT supplier is therefore an essential part of selecting an effective IT solution.
If you rely on IT for your day-to-day activities you need to have a successful working relationship with your IT supplier. A good relationship with your supplier can help ensure that your existing systems run smoothly and also help you identify and develop new applications.
This guide will help you to select a suitable IT supplier and ensure that you take full account of the support and maintenance issues that are an integral part of the procurement decision. It will also provide practical guidance on how to develop and manage a successful relationship with the supplier.
Subjects covered in this guide
- Introduction
- The different types of IT suppliers
- Identifying and contacting potential IT suppliers
- Selecting the right IT supplier
- IT system maintenance
- IT support services
- IT system cost evaluation
- Negotiating the contract for your IT system
- Benefits of an effective IT supplier relationship
- Checklist: choosing an IT supplier
- Here's how I chose and managed my IT supplier
