Why vendor-neutral IT advice matters
1 min read
Many IT providers are also resellers. They earn a margin, a rebate or an incentive on the hardware, software and licences they recommend. That isn’t wrong in itself, but it creates a pull toward the products that pay best rather than the ones that fit best.
What vendor neutral means
A vendor-neutral provider isn’t tied to any one brand. The recommendation starts with what your business needs, then looks across the options for the best fit, and that includes keeping what you already have when it is doing the job.
Where it shows up in practice
- Licences. Paying for the tier each person needs, not the one with the biggest bundle.
- Hardware. Replacing equipment when it is due, not when a promotion is running.
- Security tools. Choosing tools that cover your real risks, rather than stacking overlapping products.
- Cloud. Moving to the cloud when it makes sense for you, and saying so when it doesn’t.
Questions to ask any provider
- Do you earn a margin or rebate on the products you recommend?
- What would you recommend if you earned nothing either way?
- Which of our current tools would you keep, and why?
- Can we see the options you considered, not just the one you chose?
A good provider will answer all four without hesitating. Vendor neutral is how we work at Truxel, and we’re always happy to be asked.