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You are here: Home / Blog / Why the IT Department Also Needs a Pre-Nup

Why the IT Department Also Needs a Pre-Nup: And the Tales to Explain Why

June 19, 2017 – 

It was spring, a time when a young IT Manager’s fancy turns to thoughts of telecommunications. Sure, my current vendors were nice enough, but it was time to stop playing the field and settle down.

If I hadn’t decided to settle down with any of my current vendors, then I knew that I’d have to look for a new and exciting partner. I flirted with many vendors until I found that one special vendor. A vendor I could grow with, that would stand by me and support me through the good times and bad. A partner to complete me, or at least my telecom goals.

Life was good, I basked in the reflected glory of how fast and reliable our communications were. But after a few years, my partner began to change.

Business-RelationshipsAt first it was just small changes, like their name. Then my account manager disappeared with nothing more than a hastily written email as explanation. Where once I could talk directly to support people, now I had to open a ticket and be put in a queue. But it was okay, because I was still working with people who knew and cared for my network almost as much as I did.

Then corporate synergy struck.

Where is the Support?
Reliability slowly decreased. A short outage here, a short outage there, but not enough to evoke an extreme reaction. Then one day we experienced an outage that was taking longer than usual to repair. I tried the escalation contacts I was given when we went live. Not one of them was still valid. Finally, we got a call from the billing department (???). We were informed that the system automatically shuts down any account with a six-month or older outstanding invoice. How much did we owe? $23 left over during the conversion from one billing system to another.

It was a painful realization, but we had grown apart. My goals were no longer their goals. My fears were no longer their fears. They were no longer there for me when I needed them. They were more interested in themselves than our relationship. I had become nothing more than a monthly invoice to them.

Relationships Do Matter
I realized I had to leave this one-sided relationship. A clean break would be best, but I knew I couldn’t just leave. I had to have everything prepared ahead of time.

I started meeting new vendors in secret. If they shut me down for $23, what would they do if they found out I was seeing other vendors behind their back? Once I found a vendor, we made plans in secret. We created a new telecom life, new lines, new connections. All in preparation for the day that I would be free from my strained relationship.

Like any breakup, it was messy. Accusations and recriminations were tossed back and forth. Lawyers Develop-client-relationshipsand lawsuits were threatened. But in the end, it was the right decision. My original vendor has gone through a series of mergers and acquisitions, each less successful than the last. While I have a new vendor eager to grow with us and support our new endeavors.

Let’s Get Personal
If your current material handling provider has you considering a new partner, whatever the reason, maybe it’s time to take a chance. At Abel Womack, working hard at understanding your needs, building and maintaining successful, long-term relationships with our customers – 95 years to be exact – is what we do best. Now that’s commitment. So, if it’s not too forward, here’s our number, 800.554.2887.

About the Author

Tony D'Arezzo is the Information Technology Manager at Abel Womack.

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