Most organisations are aware they need to complete digital transformations, whether it’s upgrading a legacy system, implementing a new sales tool or restructuring the way of working across the company. All of these are usually clear to the company who wishes to remain competitive. The aspect that many organisations struggle to comprehend is how to go about undertaking a digital transformation and who to partner with on this journey. 

Selecting the right transformation partner is crucial for success and achieving long-term value add, and with a varied and wide range to choose from it isn’t always inherently apparent what sets some transformation consultancies apart. 

One key differentiator is each consultancy’s approach, whether they are vendor-led or vendor agnostic. We wanted to explore how partnering with a vendor agnostic consultancy, like Lean Tree, can benefit your transformation. 

What is a Vendor Agnostic Consultancy? 

An organisation that highlights they are vendor agnostic means that when you engage with this partner, you can expect independent, unbiased advice when it comes to technology providers, as they are not tied to a single provider or solution. 

In contrast, some vendor-led consultancies are tied into specific tools, products or ecosystems. This can either come about through partnerships and agreements, or through the development of their own tools.

It is in the interest of ‘vendor-led Consultancy A’ to suggest you use ‘product A’ even if ‘product B’ could suit your needs better. Through selecting an agnostic organisation, you are more likely to end up with a great suggestion, not one that forms part of a sales strategy. 

The Right Solution for You

A vendor agnostic consultancy will examine what solution is best for your business goals, in place of selling licences or subscriptions. 

We know that each business is unique, meaning the solution they are looking for is also unique. While there may be similarities to draw between examples, finding the perfect solution that aligns with business goals and delivers real value to the client is the ultimate achievement. 

Working with a vendor-led partner could result in a narrow and boiler plate approach to your transformation. Where the system or solution selected isn’t made to fit your needs, but the other way around. 

Access to a Broader Ecosystem

Through our experience working with a variety of clients our consultants have gained exposure to working with a massive range of solutions and providers. We work hard to embed these solutions with our clients, while learning as much as we can about these businesses that provide great tools and solutions. Allowing us to find the perfect range of answers for whatever challenge forms the next business case. 

Through our on-the-ground experience the expertise of our Supplier Management team, we’re well positioned to help you compare and select the best-in-class provider for your needs through tenders and proposal frameworks. Our experts are also used to working within the parameters created by existing provider relationships and can work with you to identify solutions that fit naturally into your current infrastructure. 

Cost Efficiency and Reduced Risk

While ‘Consultancy A’ can get you a great deal on product A, what if you could get a great deal on any product or solution you were after? Without vendor bias, a competitive selection process can provide cost savings to you. 

We can also aid with negotiations, contract terms and ensuring true ROI if these are areas that your team need support in. Through a whole of market approach, we can also assess if your vendor selections are competitive, or if you are paying inflated rates compared to other examples. 

Risk reduction also plays a key role in the benefits of a vendor agnostic consultancy. We’re able to recommend diversified solutions to mitigate security risks and move quickly to a new solution. Our seasoned Supplier Managers are also able to assess performance and calculate risk associated with suppliers already in place, enabling you to get the most out of the relationship. 

To the Vendors

At Lean Tree we are going to remain vendor agnostic as a key pillar of our organisation. Despite this, we form brilliant relationships with providers through our exposure across the organisations that we work with and the solutions we implement. 

The more information that we can share with our team about your product, the better connected we can become to suggest it as a solution to our clients. Understanding the foundations of providers benefits, roadmaps and ai plans allows our team to act on your behalf when your product fits a requirement of our clients. 

Get in touch with the team to find out how we can work together to share your solution within our network. 

Your Trusted Transformation Partner

Transformations should be guided by what is best for the business goals, not a vendor’s sales agenda. Through partnering with a vendor-agnostic consultancy you can ensure that your digital transformation will deliver lasting value and help you achieve your digital goals without compromising on quality.

If you are starting to consider a transformation or are already well underway and need a helping hand, get in touch with the Lean Tree team.