Cisco Certified Partners, Service Providers and Strategic Partners

For effective collaboration between a company and its channel partner during a deployment, consider the following seven steps.

Channel partners, such as value-added resellers (VARs), often bring helpful experience and insight to technology deployments. Here, Brian McKee, CIO of the Honolulu Board of Water Supply (HBWS), and Rick Phillips, vice president of sales at Envision Networked Solutions, describe the steps they took as HBWS was deploying a IP Communications in its headquarters and contact center.

1. Research and Information Gathering

There are multiple categories of channel partners, including value-VARs, service providers, systems or network integrators, independent software vendors (ISVs), and IT consultants. And they offer different areas of expertise. Depending on your project, you may need a partner that specializes in one or more areas, or one that offers a broader range of services and can bring in other niche partners as needed. In any case, it's important to choose an organization that can demonstrate that it has completed similar projects in the past or, even better, has provided exceptional service to clients in your own industry.

In March 2002, HBWS began looking for the right channel partner to deploy an IP telephony–based phone system for the utility's 600 internal users and 30 call center employees. "When we put out our RFP, we specifically asked for a company that had done voice-over-IP installations before," says McKee. "We also asked for companies that had worked previously with a public utility or city government."

Cisco representatives recommended Honolulu-based Envision. HBWS staff checked Envision's references by visiting its other IP telephony customers:

2. Design

Design begins with an initial evaluation, including an inventory of existing technology resources and a review of your business priorities and goals. In July 2002, Envision delivered design options, along with return on investment specifications that compared the installation of a new IP telephony system to an upgrade of the existing PBX system. After reviewing the options, HBWS issued an RFP for a new IP telephony system and in December 2002 awarded Envision the contract to design, implement, and support the new system.

3. Purchase

The next step in the deployment process is purchase of the necessary equipment. In January 2003, Envision created an inventory of the equipment it needed for the HBWS local- and wide-area network infrastructure and delivered a final equipment list and deployment schedules for the project for approval by HBWS.

4. Deployment

As a project progresses, you'll need to collaborate closely with your channel partner until your system is finally deployed. Even though many partnerships benefit from this type of close collaboration, it's important to remember that each project has its own complexity, and you need to learn how your channel partner can help address each project's particular challenges and whether the partner plays a lead or a supporting role.

During February and March 2003, HBWS and Envision worked together to install Cisco CallManager and Cisco Unity for unified messaging. Testing continued for one month, during which users had two phones on their desks: a Cisco IP phone and their original one linked to the PBX system. In April 2003, Envision implemented Cisco IPCC with a two-day cutover.

5. Training

For a smooth deployment, user training must be undertaken while the system is being installed. In March 2003, Envision customized three training classes on using the new system for HBWS employees based on their roles (management, customer-service, and other roles) tailoring the training content to address the specific needs of each group.

6. Service and Support

Once the deployment itself has been completed, you may find that the nature and frequency of the interaction with your partner changes. Although the channel partner no longer works on-site, it's often beneficial to maintain an ongoing partnership. HBWS retained Envision for service and support, and, in April 2004, it entered a three-year professional-services support contract with Envision. Under this contract, Envision:

• Deployed a new application that allows HBWS to use IP video for surveillance, providing enhanced security and management capabilities to its pumping stations
• Designed and deployed new customized call-center reports so that HBWS can track statistics.

7. Upgrade

FA good channel partner will help you keep your technology up to date and sufficient for your needs. In January 2005, Envision helped HBWS upgrade to updated versions of Cisco CallManager and Cisco IPCC Express Edition. In addition, the organization increased its storage capacity on the network for increased performance and storage.

It's good to have someone to rely on, especially when it comes to technology. "We have a long corporate memory, and at one point or another, just about every other consultant we've used has alienated us," laments HBWS's McKee. "However, we would not hesitate to partner with Envision again, and there are few consultants we would say that about."