How do you get the most out of your IT vendors and ensure IT service improvement? When a new software partner is chosen or a new service provider comes in, there is optimism and hope. A specific need has been identified, and a new partner is going to answer all of the problems.....right? The challenge is what comes later in the engagement when the relationship falters, or expectations are continually missed. This blog explores how to get the most from your existing partners to ensure IT service improvement.
Why IT Service Improvement Matters
IT software and services are critical to business success, yet too often, service quality stagnates over time. As time passes between the initial vendor selection and contract award, so do those hard-fought relationships. Maybe the account team has changed. Maybe the project sponsor has moved on too. What can be left is a service but without a relationship - hollow.
We also find the 'death by a thousand cuts' analogy can be pretty accurate. As more support calls are made, or more escalations take place, or indeed, as more expectations are missed, the relationship naturally deteriorates over time and is no longer as resilient. Adding to the problem is that this is not just about the internal team - it also applies to the vendor sales team. Over time, they become weary. They have as many cuts and struggle to keep the relationship alive.
Common challenges include:
Slow response times and unresolved issues
Inflexibility in adapting to business needs
Lack of innovation or proactive problem-solving
Hidden costs and unexpected service limitations
Poor communication and accountability
A well-structured IT service improvement plan ensures that vendors stay accountable, performance remains high, and your business gets the support it truly needs - but more about this later.
The Key to Getting the Most from Your IT Vendors
Many organizations believe switching providers is the only way to improve IT service quality. While that is sometimes necessary, working with your existing vendor to enhance their service can be a faster and more cost-effective approach. Any new relationship comes at a cost and comes with risk - sometimes quite a lot of risk. If we can fix the current relationship, that is usually the most appropriate decision.
Here’s how you can maximize value from your IT vendors:
1. Establish Clear Service Expectations
If your vendor isn’t meeting your needs, the first step is to ensure your expectations are clearly defined. A strong Service Level Agreement (SLA) should include:
Measurable performance targets (e.g., response times, resolution times, uptime guarantees)
Regular review meetings to assess service performance
Escalation paths for unresolved issues
Continuous service improvement commitments
2. Conduct Regular Service Reviews
One of the biggest mistakes companies make is assuming vendors will improve without structured feedback. Implementing regular Service Improvement Reviews allows you to:
Identify gaps in service delivery
Highlight recurring issues or inefficiencies
Push for better alignment with business objectives
Ensure vendors remain proactive, not just reactive
3. Hold Vendors Accountable with Performance Metrics
Transparency and data-driven discussions are essential in vendor management. Ensure that your vendor’s performance is measured against key metrics such as:
Incident response and resolution times
System uptime and reliability
Customer satisfaction scores
Adherence to SLAs and contract commitments
If service levels are consistently below expectations, an action plan should be developed to address deficiencies.
4. Foster a Partnership Approach
Instead of viewing your vendor as just a supplier, treat them as a strategic partner. Encourage collaboration by:
Holding joint strategy sessions to align IT services with business goals
Create an executive engagement plan - with senior business leaders or sponsors from each company coming together at regular intervals.
Engaging vendors in problem-solving discussions
Providing feedback on service quality and improvement areas
A strong partnership leads to more proactive service delivery and better overall outcomes.
5. Leverage External Expertise for Vendor Assessments
If you’re struggling to get vendors to improve, an external perspective can help to shake up both sides of the equation. An independent Service Improvement Review provides:
A neutral assessment of vendor performance - with no axe to grind.
Actionable recommendations to drive service enhancements
Support in negotiating better SLAs and accountability measures
Our Service Improvement Review at Viewpoint Analysis helps businesses take control of their IT service relationships, ensuring vendors meet expectations and drive real business value.
Using an IT Service Mediator
For example, a failing marriage might go to a marriage counselor for help and guidance to get things back on track, and the same approach works with an IT service mediator. Having someone in the middle between the vendor and the customer team can bring dramatic improvements to the relationship. There are always two sides to any argument - and in the case of IT services and software, this is also the case.
In the case of our work, we approach it like this:
1 - Service Improvement Review
The Service Improvement Review is built on a series of interviews with the customer team. We interview the most senior sponsor for the service or software, the product owner(s), and the users. Our aim is to get the unvarnished feedback about the situation. We'll go deep at this stage and look to uncover a wealth of information - e.g. SLA performance, missing features, relationship challenges, and much more.
2 - Service Improvement Report
The output from the Service Improvement Review is a comprehensive 'Service Improvement Report' detailing our findings. This is shared internally so that we can ensure all are in agreement with our findings. Then, crucially, the report is shared with the vendor's account team, and we present the findings. It's an excellent opportunity for the vendor team (sales lead, sales management, service teams, and customer success teams) to hear some hard truths and reflect on how they can fix the challenges.
3 - Fix Meeting
The third step is a 'Fix Meeting' where we bring both parties together - where mediation plays a key role. We reiterate the findings of our Service Improvement Review and we ask both parties to respond. Invariably, the meeting will bring a range of suggested fixes - from both sides - which will then form a Joint Service Improvement Plan.
4 - Joint Service Improvement Plan
The final step in the process is for both teams - the vendor and the customer - to come together and work on the Joint Service Improvement Plan. This can take a number of weeks or months to complete, but the intention is to repair the relationship and reset expectations. The mediator (in this case, Viewpoint Analysis) can be involved, or they can step out of the process.
Take Control of Your IT Services
IT service improvement isn’t just about fixing issues; it’s about driving continuous enhancement and ensuring your vendors contribute to your business success. By setting clear expectations, reviewing performance regularly, and leveraging external expertise where needed, you can ensure that your IT services remain aligned with your business needs.
There is almost always a way forward, provided both parties engage in the discussion. Our experience is that a fix is easy to find with the right intentions.
If you want to assess your current IT vendor’s performance and uncover opportunities for improvement, our Service Improvement Review can help. Learn more here.
Comments