Download Factors to Consider when Selecting a Local Partner

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Factors(to(Consider(When(Selecting(a(Local(Partner(in(Health(
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The!NHS!has!an!ever-changing!and!bewildering!array!of!policies,!guidance,!legislation,!trends,!
jargon!etc.!Understanding!those!aspects,!together!with!the!underlying!operational!processes!
and!selecting!the!right!distribution!channel!to!address!them!is!fraught!with!difficulty,!especially!
in!an!industry!that!is!constantly!changing.!
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Some!key!factors!to!consider!include:!!
•! Achieving!sufficient!market!knowledge!(and!understanding!market!direction)!
•! Knowing!the!customer!
•! Availability!of!local!human!resources!with!relevant!sales!experience!(and!acquiring!the!
right!sales!infrastructure)!
•! Management!overheads!
•! Levels!of!influence!and!control!
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In!order!to!select!the!right!distribution!channel,!the!supplier!will!need!to!consider!all!of!these!
factors:!!
•! Market(knowledge(requirements!–!The!health!market!operates!some!clearly!defined!
(and!some!not!so!clearly!defined)!sectors!such!as!primary,!secondary,!
tertiary,!community,!mental!health!and!social!care.!Each!of!these!sectors!must!interact!
with!some!or!all!of!the!others!in!a!variety!of!complex!and!evolving!ways.!Suppliers!must!
understand!the!market!sectors!in!which!they!intend!to!operate.!Selling!into!such!a!
complex!and!competitive!environment!has!many!challenges!and!therefore!sellers!must!
not!only!acquire!deep!knowledge!of!what!the!market!currently!requires,!but!they!should!
also!understand!what!is!likely!to!happen!next.!A!reliable!strategic!understanding!of!the!
next!big!trend!is!not!simply!desirable,!it!is!essential.!!
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•! Knowing(the(customer!-!NHS!customers!are!not!easy!to!identify.!Health!customers!are!
not!all!the!same,!even!in!a!particular!health!sector.!Some!health!organisations!
are!perceived!as!poor!performers,!and!whilst!some!are!easy!to!identify!(e.g.!lack!of!
Foundation!Trusts!status!for!a!secondary!care!provider),!others!are!less!easy!to!spot!
without!local!knowledge.!Of!course,!you!may!consider!that!some!of!these!factors!are!
insignificant,!but!you!may!wish!to!question!whether!it!is!worth!the!effort!of!trying!to!sell!
a!non-foundation!Trust!a!potential!multi-million!pound!system,!knowing!that!they!are!
unlikely!to!be!capable!of!attracting!(or!retaining)!the!resources!to!ensure!adequacy!of!
support!for!implementation!including!the!exploitation!of!benefits!and!business!change!
required!for!success.!!!
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Once!you!have!identified!the!potential!client!targets;!which%sales%channel%do%you%use?%
who%are%the%right%people%to%approach?%Is%there%a%particular%job%role%within%the%customer%
organisation%that%will%be%receptive%to%your%sales%effort%and%capable%of%committing%the%
customer?!Of!course!the!answers!will!vary!from!one!organisation!to!another.!!!
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Using!the!right!distribution!partner!will!not!simply!enable!delivery!of!the!IT!suppliers!
solutions!to!it’s!own!customers,!it!may!also!provide!opportunities!to!tap!a!much!
larger!customer!base,!particularly!if!the!partner!is!chosen!for!their!compatible!
Copyright!©!Libretti!2015!
Commercial7in7confidence.!The!information!contained!in!this!document!is!confidential!and!proprietary!to!Libretti!Limited.!It!shall!not!be!disclosed,!
duplicated!or!used,!in!whole!or!in!part,!for!any!purpose!without!the!prior!written!consent!of!the!company.!Libretti!Ltd!(Registered!number!9515471,!Tel:!
+44(0)203!291!3195!www.libretti.co.uk!)!
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distribution!channels,!or!their!knowledge!of!Government!procurement!regulations!and!
ability!to!access!central!procurement!frameworks.!
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Building!superior!customer!value!and!satisfaction!is!the!key!to!building!a!profitable!
customer!base.!If!the!customer!is!satisfied,!they!will!generate!repeat!business!and!tell!
others!about!their!experience.!!!
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•! Relevant(sales(experience((-!Overseas!suppliers!will!almost!certainly!need!to!acquire!a!
range!of!skills!that!they!do!not!currently!possess.!Most!IT!suppliers!are!involved!in!highvalue,!complex!sales!to!business!customers.!Sales!staff!need!to!be!capable!of!building!
relationships!with!customers!as!well!as!having!sound!product!knowledge.!Relationship!
building!in!the!NHS!requires!a!range!of!skills!including:!
•! gravitas!(having!held!or!achieved!a!position!of!respect!in!Health);!
•! knowing(the(customer!(and!ensuring!regular!contact);!
•! empathy!(understanding!the!key!NHS!pressure!points!from!within!the!
customer’s!frame!of!reference);!
•! local(knowledge!(having!worked!in!the!area!or!held!a!similar!role)!
•! regular(customer(contact!-!you!rarely!meet!people!at!the!exact!moment!when!
they!need!what!you!offer!
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•! Availability(of(resources(and(management(overheads(-!finding!a!local!partner!may!
present!the!most!cost!effective!route!to!the!customer,!particularly!if!there!are!
mutual!benefits!for!both!parties.!If,!for!example,!a!customers!sale!will!require!a!range!of!
other!services!that!the!partner!may!be!able!to!provide,!this!may!provide!sufficient!
incentive!for!the!IT!supplier!to!use!a!particular!partner.!Management!overheads!may!be!
kept!to!a!minimum!if!the!supplier!is!able!to!use!the!partner’s!sales,!marketing!and!
distribution!network.!!
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•! Influence!is!important!for!channel!selection!particularly!where!competition!is!involved!
and!there!is!then!a!need!for!the!network!to!be!motivated!towards!showing!preference!
for!a!particular!solution!set.!Whether!the!control!is!exerted!by!the!IT!supplier!or!
delegated!to!the!partner!will!be!a!matter!for!discussion.!The!key!point!here!is!
the!criticality!of!exerting!control!and!influence!over!the!network.!!
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Often,!a!supplier!will!be!considering!collaborative!alliances!in!order!to!strengthen!their!own!
capability,!for!example:!
•! Value(added(resellers(–!to(whom!you!may!delegate!ownership!of!the!sales!cycle;(
•! Systems(implementers((with!integration!capability!where!appropriate);(
•! Technology(partners(–(who!integrate!their!own!solutions!into!the!main!software!(or!
write!applications!on!top!of!the!software!to!help!optimise!or!differentiate!the!solution);((
•! Referral(partners(–!who!refer!sales!opportunities!in!return!for!a!fee,!or;(
•! OEM(partners(–(who!may!wish!to!include!your!solution!(or!part)!in!their!own!product(
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If!these!alliances!are!of!interest,!or!if!you!are!simply!looking!for!an!honest!broker,!Libretti!Health!
has!the!expertise,!experience!and!connections!to!assist!new!or!existing!health!market!players!
across!all!of!these!service!requirements.!!
Copyright!©!Libretti!2015!
Commercial7in7confidence.!The!information!contained!in!this!document!is!confidential!and!proprietary!to!Libretti!Limited.!It!shall!not!be!disclosed,!
duplicated!or!used,!in!whole!or!in!part,!for!any!purpose!without!the!prior!written!consent!of!the!company.!Libretti!Ltd!(Registered!number!9515471,!Tel:!
+44(0)203!291!3195!www.libretti.co.uk!)!