Thinc insights
Mid-market businesses have revealed what they see as the benefits of choosing independent IT services over firms that are bound to one software company or to investors.
When seeking technology advice, should you choose an independent IT services provider or a larger company? Is there any difference between the service from a smaller, solution-agnostic provider and a larger one that’s heavily aligned with one software brand?
At Thinc, we have an opinion on this – more on that later! – but the one opinion that matters is yours. That’s why we took to the market to find out.
For our report on IT at mid-market organisations, we surveyed 650 decision makers at to learn more about their perceptions of the service available to them from technology partners and resellers. We asked them to tell us what benefits they associate with independent IT service providers compared to larger or private equity-owned advisors.
What did we find out?
Most mid-market organisations – 61% of respondents – associate independent IT service providers, not tied to specific software vendors, with flexibility and adaptability. This was comfortably the most common response.
Half also recognise the value of stronger partnerships, bolstered by consistency in their team and the deep expertise offered by non-aligned consultants.
The importance of flexibility and adaptability scales up as the size of organisation does, as indeed does the value of independence in general. Every cited benefit being more prevalent among larger SMEs than at their smaller and mid-size peers.
This increased perception of value is most noticeable when it comes to partnership. Larger SMEs are significantly more likely to identify stronger partnerships, and the trust built through impartial advice, as a key benefit of an independent provider.
While less pronounced, the trend follows across the other benefits cited in the survey: consistency in teams compared to larger providers with higher turnover, better pricing and value owing to less investor pressure, and the long-term stability that comes from being free from group ownership and restructuring.
Of course, before deciding on the type of IT services provider to work with, organisations will have first decided whether to outsource at all.
The reasons why an organisation may need help with their systems will of course vary widely. Some will be looking for a support with a specific technology, others will want fully managed services to ensure productivity, compliance and cyber security. But it’s not just a practical question – outsourcing is often a strategic decision that requires a close, collaborative partnership between customer and provider.
In our survey, we asked IT decision makers to tell us what their priorities are when appointing a technology partner. The results show that longer-term, bigger picture motivators outweigh the core running of the systems.
Aside from the impartial advice on what software to choose, an independent IT services provider is more likely to have evaluated solutions in a way that isn’t biased to one brand. In a saturated market, where fresh news and opinions on AI, security and productivity arrive every day, it’s important for SMEs to feel like they can trust the advice they receive.
“Mid-market businesses stand at a crossroads – in a testing climate, they understand that they need to find more efficient ways to work. But it’s hard to decide on, let alone commit to, the technology investments that will make this a reality,” says Dominic Ball, Managing Director at Thinc.
“There’s never been more information out there about the power of technology. What businesses need is unbiased, practical advice that cuts through the hype. Providers like Thinc are here to give that honest take, looking at the systems and processes that will benefit most from automation and integration, and setting out the most practical route to greater productivity.”
At Thinc, we’re proud to be independent – we only ever recommend solutions to our customers that fit their business. We’ll listen to your needs and recommend a holistic solution, built from the best business technologies and managed services, integrated with your critical services and secure against cyber threats.
Whatever your ambitions, we’re ready for your call.
Want to know more about our research into IT needs among midmarket businesses? Read our blogs:
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