We live in a world where you demand the very best products and services, at the best possible price, with the best level of after-sale care. The result? Businesses strive for efficiency that’s driven by the consumer. Understandably, this can be very demanding in a global market.

More often than not, it results in a compromise – either intentional or accidental. And, if this compromise isn’t highlighted and improved, it can lead to bad experiences and a possible loss of business. That doesn’t have to be the case though. Keep reading to see how partnering in a global market can spell success for Information Communication Technology (ICT) service providers.

Complex ICT management

It’s no secret that the ICT industry is a complex beast. And, as mentioned, it has become littered with compromises. These compromises become much greater and more complex on a global scale.

Managing ICT in multiple countries has the added strain of multiple partner contracts, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and pricing on a per country level. When expanded globally, it puts even more pressure on ICT service providers.

When confronted by customers asking for services abroad, ICT service providers have to find and manage a solution. Alternatively, they can lose valuable customers in an increasingly competitive market.

There are several ways of managing ICT in a global market, which – broken down to their simplest form or strategic approach – are as follows:

• Sink or Swim – Continue as you are and ride it out, doing nothing and not controlling the outcome.
• Outsource – Outsource work to global service providers, which has become very common with global organisations.
• Insource – Ramp up the head count and skillsets internally to meet global demand.
• Blended – A combination of the above that is best suited to the outcome.

There’s plenty to be said about the pros and cons of the above. But what’s far more noteworthy is a fifth approach – namely, partnering with another organisation to form an alliance.

This is not as simple or as easy as it may sound. In its core, the ability to partner successfully can be a key differentiator in helping your business remove negative experiences and improve global efficiencies. However, you should be selective in choosing your partner.

As a business, you are venturing into new realms. And the correct partner will share this experience with you. Over time, you will collaborate with one another, combine your skills and practices, share your local knowledge, and become stronger as a result. The new-found partnership will be mutually beneficial. You can offer products and services that complement each other, while exploring new markets and growing your opportunities in a global landscape.

Does partnering work?

Of course it does! Partnering is the very essence of the Aura Alliance. We have partnered with 50 service providers around the globe to date to deliver Unified Communications and Contact Centre solutions.

Geographical location is no longer a problem due to the physical presence of our partner base. Local language barriers have been eradicated as in-country partners work with in-country customers. We work extensively with our customers and partners to provide a global SLA, unified pricing structure, consistent support model and a single point of contact for our customers where required.

Our journey is your journey

Over the past 15 years, the Aura Alliance has been on many a journey with our partners, to all corners of the globe. There have been some very insightful and interesting experiences along the way, which have all been shared across our alliance.

At Aura Alliance, we believe that every company has a journey. And should you choose to venture into the global market, we would love to share our experiences with you. Contact us today to talk more about your company’s journey and how we can help.