At one time suppliers in Scotland were were awarded ebusiness supplier certification status. The scheme achieved limited success. The criteria attached to acquiring this status was supposed to be stringent and give the company's who applied robust mechanisms to deal with any ebusiness crisis that supplier company might encounter.
WHICH EBUSINESS EXPERT CAN YOU TRUST?
Assessors visited suppliers in Scotland that delivered mainly website solutions, and claimed they were accessing business processes and looking at whether ebusiness best practice was being delivered. This e-Business Supplier Certification was developed to help forward thinking companies differentiate their business from competitors, and additionally gain valuable advice from the Public Sectors team of e-business experts. It was also aimed at helping Scottish Business owners to choose from a comprehensive database of high quality e-business suppliers.
However, closer scrutiny of those businesses who achieved this award found that those suppliers who applied for this status were just putting in the effort during the period of the assessment to gain a competitive edge by 'having the badge'. Of the Accessors who visited these companies one would focus on technology whilst the other dealt with business best practice, but how qualifed were they?
DO YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TO IMPROVE ITS BOTTOM LINE?
Reviewing companies with this ebusiness supplier certification status when looking to choose a supplier to build websites for our clients. What was found, was, that whilst the supplier company had demonstrated delivering ebusiness best practice processes within its business, it didn't really demonstrate a track record of having delivered websites converting visitors into sales and demonstrating month on month increased profitability for the client who had taken delivery of one of their websites.
Only around 15 companies in Scotland got round to taking up this ebusiness supplier certification award. ICT Advisor.com asked many suppliers in Scotland who had not come forward to take up getting certified - why? The answer from those businesses approached said they didn't need a certificate to tell a potential client how good they were at delivering websites, and all of us should just take a look at their portfolio of satisfied clients.
THE SUPPLIERS PORTFOLIO - CAN YOU MAKE A JUDGEMENT FROM IT?
Having a portfolio of satisfied clients that don't know what they don't know is all very well. A tip from ICT Advisor.com, before choosing a supplier don't ask the Website company or the Search Engine marketing company or the Hardware Supplier for a reference, ask the business owner whether his balance sheet improved after the suppliers intervention. Did the company's turnover increase from the solution provided by that supplier? If so then you may have found a supplier that brings your business RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
CONTACT ICT ADVISOR.COM, we can help you find and select a supplier that actually delivers profitable solutions to improve your business through the use of technology.