When it comes to data management solutions, many businesses are stuck in unhealthy relationships with vendors who are effectively holding them hostage. Are you one of those businesses? Here are four signs that you are causing yourself unnecessary misery by being overly attached to your data management “vendor”:
1. You Wear Your Vendor’s Ill-Fitting Logo Clothing
You find yourself sporting the overly large T-shirt your vendor gives you as “swag.” It doesn’t fit well — even after multiple washes — and neither does their software. The software worked when it was first deployed, but you’ve grown and changed over time, and now your business users need to be able to use it, not just your most Java-capable technical people. Since your vendor’s software is based on the archaic Eclipse platform, you have no choice but to turn to your vendor for service help — and custom coding.
2. You Greet Your Vendor With An Open Checkbook
You get into the office, look at your calendar, and see you have a meeting with your enterprise data management vendor. Immediately, you pull out your checkbook and flip it open to the next unwritten check. You’re now so inured to the trauma of unexpected and outrageous charges, you don’t even feel it anymore. Initially, you were thrilled with the low sticker price of your solution, but as you needed training, support, and upgrades, that was when your vendor’s true prices began to show, and those encounters left your budget black and blue (and in the red, too).
3. Your Vendor Has Overbooked Your Calendar So You’ve Got No Time For Anyone Else
Your days — and nights — are occupied by your enterprise data management vendor. No one else is allowed to get on your calendar, and frankly, you’re past caring. At first, your vendor made soothing statements about its software being able to play well with other’s like ERP, CRM, and the integration software you already had in place. But after 3 attempts to tie everything together using the vendor’s software, they finally confessed, “You know what? In order to make this work, you really need to install our BudgetBreaker software.” With a sigh, you handed over the PO. As a reward, they took you out to a steak dinner and … stuck you with the bill.
4. You Send Flowers To Your Vendor For The Lousy Support They Provide You
You’ve gotten so used to abysmal support that you’re unaccountably grateful when the support you receive is only half-heartedly lousy. Your vendor said they’d “be there for you,” so you let yourself believe it was true. But now every support call starts off with script-readers putting you on hold for 10 minutes before you get anywhere, and you’re left wondering if the “Platinum” level of support is actually made of tin.
If, despite everything, you are still finding yourself doodling your vendor’s name in hearts in your notebook, then you’ve got Stockholm Syndrome. You believed the ideals your vendor preached when you first engaged them. You drank their sweet Kool-Aid, but now find it bitter. “You’ll look like a champion to your CIO,” they said. “You’ll make a real impact on the business,” they guaranteed. Five years and as many million dollars later, the only impact you’ve made is a big fat dent in your company’s wallet. It’s time to let go of the hope that the good old days with your vendor will eventually return.
You need to seek outside help. It doesn’t matter how long your vendor has been entrenched in the business. It doesn’t matter how adjusted you are to the daily torture. If you’re not getting what you need out of your data management vendor, then it’s time for a jailbreak.