Blog
Date: 01 December 2009 Author: Bob Dalton, CEOGlobal support - sometimes you’ve got to think outside of the box
When we set up Intact Integrated Services five years ago, we knew we had a real opportunity to develop a new kind of service approach that could help overcome some of the service delivery barriers faced by customers of the more traditional global support offerings.
As we looked into the proposition, the more it seemed to make sense. First, develop a clearly defined Cisco-focused service offering. Then back it with a comprehensive ‘QA wrapping’ process and Integrated Management Systems. Finally, identify the best Cisco partners in every region and work with them to deliver best-of-breed local support.
We knew that combining local expertise and engineering resources with the discipline and infrastructure of our global Managed Service Centre approach made sense, however we’ve been pleasantly surprised by just how quickly our INSPAN global network has grown. In just three years of investment, we’ve successfully recruited some 75 INSPAN partners, and we’re now covering over 100 countries around the world.
The sheer scale of growth suggests that there really is a strong demand for an active global Cisco services ecosystem that doesn’t approach the challenge of international support as though it was still 1985. We’ve already seen how our distinctive strategy has allowed us to deliver some very large global transformational projects on time and under budget, and we’re now working with a range of international solutions providers to deliver an essential services component to strengthen their broader capabilities.
An exciting benefit has been the business opportunity we’ve been able to bring to our INSPAN partners. Before we developed our support model, many of them wouldn’t have had the chance to engage with global customers in their own region. Now, however, as part of the wider INSPAN infrastructure, they’re not only gaining access to new kinds of business, but also adding valuable skills to their portfolios.
So we’re delighted to celebrate the milestone of signing up the 75th member of our INSPAN global network. The programme has already achieved considerable success, and we’re now looking forward to breaking through the 100-partner barrier as we target further growth during 2010. Sometimes it really does pay to think outside of the box!
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