Support Paper: What to expect from your P2P partner

Approach

P2P implementation partners that make a difference are true collaborators. They are consultative in their approach, taking the time to really understand your organisation and the particular challenges faced. They should want to know how you arrived at the decision to implement a P2P solution, and explore whether all areas of the business have been considered that could potentially be impacted by a P2P innovation. This consultative approach will tease out the focus areas for your business and identify any areas that may have been overlooked.

Whilst your partner should be curious, it is crucial too that they are sensitively critical. In a non-judgmental and non-confrontational way, your partner needs to be open and honest, whilst focusing on solutions. Exploring challenges should never be done critically, but with a respect for the here-and-now and a focus on enhancing the business going forward. A good partner will encourage the organisation to think strategically, shining a longerterm lens on the problems encountered and factoring in where the business sees itself in 5-10 years and beyond.

Following the exploration phase, you should expect a bespoke solution from your proposed partner. In P2P implementations, one size most certainly does not fit all. If your partner has listened attentively and explored your organisations situation in-depth, then they will present a solution that is entirely unique to you, not offer pre-prescribed solutions. Often clients fear a bespoke solution is more costly, but this is rarely the case as you will never pay for an App/element that does not enhance your organisation.

Transparency between the client and partner is key. Your partner should be completely transparent in terms of the outcomes that their proposed solutions can deliver and detail the achievement possibilities within defined timeframes. A transparent approach is important because it acts as a catalyst for engagement and momentum. A milestone-driven project for which the partner will be held to account, will keep the project on track and encourage action.

Accessibility of Partner

In complex P2P transformations sometimes things can go wrong or you may just need a quick response on an issue. You should expect to be able to speak to your partner whenever you need to; connectivity is crucial. If you find that your implementation partner does not have a permanent team, or that their support is not accessible due to geographical constraints of not being based in your native country, this could create endless frustration and unnecessary delays.

Far better that you address the following areas from the outset to understand if your business can work within any possible constraints:

• Is the support team permanent and therefore will the support contact fully understand my account and our position within the project?
• Is the support team native to your home country and therefore likely available during your core working hours?
• Even if the partner is geographically local, do they measure themselves by response turn-around metrics and are those metrics workable for you?

Added Value Support

The difference between an effective P2P implementation partner and others is the added value support that they can provide to your organisation. A P2P implementation is complex, so you should seek out a partner that will understand the wider implications and take a broader view of the project. Some partners will have additional knowledge that can support a successful implementation, such as the ability to assess an organisation’s procurement maturity and the impact that will have on the project. They may also be able to support with a managed service proposition, which could prove vital if your organisation is lacking in specialist knowledge of P2P.

Sharing of Knowledge and Leaving a Legacy

It is reasonable to expect that your partner will take an ‘enabling’ approach to the implementation. Client-side teams are all different, with varying skillsets and attitudes towards a transformation. You should expect your partner to empower and enable your teams to achieve more with the technology available. Upskilling the client base is important to protect the longevity of the investment and provides a trust that future challenges can be overcome.

Even with a dedicated training and education programme, it is still possible that your existing team may require support post go-live. If this is the case, check the terms and conditions with your partner to establish if this is possible, the time period that aftercare support can be provided, and the costs involved. Selecting a P2P implementation partner that has an ‘open-door policy’ and caters for additional support can be a spend worth investing in.