Strategic partnerships are key in today’s business world. In cases regarding upgrades to a company’s infrastructure, solid partnerships are vital. Having spoken to many end users who have incorporated satellite, all of them have expressed the importance they placed on making sure the system integrator they were signing a contract with would be around for a long-term business relationship and not disappear once the installation was complete. Upgrading a communications network never comes without challenges, but many headaches can be avoided if more than mere service is incorporated.

Keeping in mind that getting the lowest contract price for services is important, refer to these key points when shopping for partnership value as well:

• What kind of technical support does the satellite service provider offer?
• What comments have you gotten from past clients in regard to responsiveness and ease of working with the provider?
• Do they offer any training to your team?

Recognizing the value behind partnering with a satellite service provider will ultimately materialize as a wise investment and one with long-lasting returns. Though a cheaper contract for only equipment installation and satellite time may be on the negotiation table, keep in mind the old adage: You get what you pay for. In the end, service is nothing without the relations to make it work.

As always, if your organization has a satellite success story within its business strategy, I would like to hear about it. Please contact me at [email protected] or call me direct at 301-354-1772. I am always looking for successful case studies and business contacts to showcase within our magazine pages.