Multi-vendor technical support has become increasingly important in today’s business environment due to the evolving complexity of telco infrastructures and the need for specialised expertise across diverse technologies. Here’s why it matters.
Multi-vendor or single-play – which is best for business?
It’s increasingly unusual for businesses to attach themselves to a single partner for their IT, telecommunications and network operations. Single-vendor lock-in arrangements can often favour the vendor rather than the customer. Transparency, service quality issues, and hidden support costs are also risks often associated with single-vendor contracts.
Diversifying vendors can reduce these risks. If one vendor changes direction or faces market trouble, businesses with multiple partnerships have options. This flexibility is critical in a fast-changing industry. And of course, many teams and IT leaders simply choose the best vendor for a specific operational need too.
“Pure play” vendors can be more focused than generalist competitors; they go
deeper on platforms, roll out more regular updates with new capabilities, and can focus on one market rather than spreading themselves thinly.
Customer needs are evolving as well. Tech stacks are increasingly complex, cyber threats more sophisticated, and teams are looking to modernise and integrate communication and data across silos. In short, customers want vendors – and related support services – who can solve their biggest problems and not just work within one ecosystem.
What are the challenges of multi-vendor network operations?
But while a multi-vendor approach has multiple benefits, it also brings challenges. As businesses evolve, telco and technology requirements need to change. New features, a new platform, new integrations or new updates need to be deployed. Legacy support may not be enough. And when something goes wrong, who handles what?
Is your Network Node down because of reasons unknown, or has your server crashed? Why is there a timeout when queries are run? Is it a hardware issue, or is there a bug in the software? Or is it your database? Who should you call? Who can fix it right away?
Do you have to go through your list of vendors, one by one? Imagine a vendor pointing fingers at the other vendor. Not hard to imagine. Meanwhile, your users are waiting for your site or app to be back up. Do you have time for this?
How to use multi-vendor technical support as a path to growth
To manage this complexity, you could partner with several support providers with single vendor expertise. Or if you’re covered by OEM support, they’ll manage the uptime, downtime and performance of their own hardware deployments, software updates, web apps, or related hosting environment. Moreover, OEM support contracts can be expensive and may not cover all the services needed in a multi-cloud or hybrid environment.
How to make multi-vendor support work for you
While legacy support might solve your issues, they’re only a sticking plaster. Ultimately, it makes sense to choose a dedicated multi-vendor technical support provider to offer broader, seamless support at a potentially lower cost, catering to diverse needs:
Multi-vendor expertise
Specialist providers can offer comprehensive technical assistance across multiple vendor platforms to reduce costs and resource constraints.
Legacy support and End-of-Life solutions
Many organisations struggle with maintaining legacy systems or dealing with end-of- life products. Specialist support services can extend the lifespan of these systems, providing support after OEM contracts expire, or helping to manage the implementation of new platforms.
Network operations and software support
With the growing complexity of network infrastructures, specialist multi-vendor support in network operations and software support are now essential to maintain business operations and minimise downtime.
Proactive monitoring and predictive analytics
Multi-vendor support services now incorporate proactive monitoring and predictive analytics to help customers identify and fix issues before they impact operations.
Market Growth and Driving Factors
As a result of this changing IT landscape, the multi-vendor support services market is experiencing significant growth. The multi-vendor support services market is projected to grow from $50.1 billion in 2024 to $64.3 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.16%. Several factors are fuelling this expansion:
1. Rapid developments in IT: As organisations digitise their operations using cloud, container, and IoT technologies, the complexity of IT environments is growing.
2. Rising maintenance costs: Companies are seeking cost-effective alternatives to expensive OEM services without compromising on quality.
3. Need for streamlined operations: With diverse hardware, software, and networking components from various vendors, centralised support services have become crucial for efficient management.
4. Focus on core business activities: Businesses are looking to outsource non-core functions, so they can concentrate on their primary business goals.
As the multi-vendor support services market continues to grow, businesses that partner with specialist support providers like Penta Consulting will be better equipped to manage complex IT ecosystems, reduce costs, and focus on their core business objectives. Contact us today to see how we can help support your multi-vendor strategy.
Penta Consulting is an award-winning Technology Services Provider, specialising in delivering Professional Services and Managed Solutions to clients globally.
