“Nah, we’re good. We contract directly with the manufacturer to get the best price and support.”
We hear this a lot – and hey, we get why anyone shopping for a new WEM solution might think this is true. But it isn’t. Navigating the intricacies of a workforce engagement ecosystem can be a daunting task for any business. But these workforce engagement shoppers probably don’t know that working through a Value Added Reseller (VAR) reseller and implementation partner gets you several perks that manufacturers aren’t equipped to offer. Even better… You get those perks for less than what you’d pay the manufacturer.
Here are five of the top reasons companies opt to work with a solution integrator rather than go direct to a software provider.
1. Savings on services and support. Prices are the same on software (you won’t pay more) whether you buy directly from the manufacturer or through a certified reseller and implementation partner. However, when you partner with a solution integrator, you often realize the benefit of a broader set of expertise. You get more for your budget as you’re not paying the manufacturer’s overhead- which also lowers your implementation and support costs.
2. Quality service. We have deep relationships with the industry leaders- Alvaria, Calabrio, Genesys, and Verint. They’re all great companies! But their primary focus is developing a top product. A solution integrator’s priority is helping organizations get the most out of their tech investments. As a result, they should be more responsive to your needs. And if you have a problem that requires a manufacturer fix, an integrator can use their partner leverage (representing hundreds or thousands of customers- in addition to you) to get things done.
*Tip: If working with a manufacturer for services, ask who is actually delivering the work. Often times this work is farmed out to a partner contracted through the manufacturer. You can save time and money going directly to the partner.
3. Expert, unbiased evaluation. Technology partners can offer expertise across a wide range of workforce engagement systems. Because they’re not tied to one particular platform, they are able to offer an unbiased evaluation of available solutions and help chart an achievable ROI based on your needs. Understanding your business and long-term goals is the primary focus- not perfecting the software.
4. In-house expertise across the contact center. The success of your WEM solution depends heavily on a tightly knitted integration with your contact center. And it’s not just the tech. It extends to processes, self-service optimizations, routing configurations, and more. Each of these has a downstream impact on your workforce applications’ accuracy and functional capacity. Working with a partner who understands the ins and outs of each component not only streamlines your vendor management, it saves you critical time in fixing unforeseen pitfalls and challenges.
Success Story
A financial services company desired to add a workforce management component to its contact center landscape. However, their tech partner did not offer specialization in workforce management solutions. After landing on their system of choice, the client contracted directly with the WEM manufacturer, who oversaw the installation and integration with the client’s contact center platform. Unfortunately, the system didn’t work. And since neither the contact center nor the WEM manufacturer was intricately familiar with the other’s system, the issues dragged on for months. Frustrated and unable to get to a resolution, the client brought Waterfield Tech in to evaluate the situation. Having deep practice areas with both systems, we quickly determined that a special connector needed to be developed to enable the two systems to communicate with one another properly. Problem resolved.
5. Ongoing training and consulting, and Moves/Adds/Changes work, included with support. Need to train new team members a year later? No problem. While contracts vary widely, it’s common for solution integrators to include optimization and training cycles as part of their ongoing support commitments. For example, our team periodically evaluates your WFM system – starting six months after deployment – to make sure your new system is operating at peak efficiency. Need a small move, add, or change? You don’t need to buy it separately. This is included.
The success of any tech investment begins with asking the right questions and working with the right partner for your endeavors. If you’d like to learn more… contact Gabe Harris immediately. Kidding, kidding. Not really.
About the Authors
Gabe Harris
Contact Center Problem-Solver
Waterfield Tech
Gabe Harris has spent his time at Waterfield Tech working with technology partners and customers (mostly retail and financial services) to solve contact center problems. Undefeated in “Duck Duck Goose” since 1996, Gabe likes LEGO sets, comics, video games, chess, and playing with his kids. He’s also convinced he’s Batman.
Carlton Perkins
Principal Solutions Consultant
Waterfield Tech
Carlton is a results-driven professional with a proven record of leading technical solutions and digital transformation in complex contact center environments. With extensive industry knowledge, critical thinking, and effective communication skills, he guides cross-functional teams to resolve issues and design solutions. His innovative approach to strategic leadership has been recognized for its impact on large contact centers.
