What is a “Solutions Integrator”?
A Solutions Integrator is an IT partner that serves as a steadfast, central point of execution and guidance. Solutions Integrators blend capabilities, making them ideal for long-term, meaningful connections. The result: You can trust they’ll address both your ambitions and insecurities.
Traditional IT partners require additional partnerships for purchasing, joint services or simply offer a limited scope of technology or industry experience.
“Organizations need a partner who can deliver solutions, a combination of hardware and software, and services that can be integrated into their environment and produce meaningful results. They need a solutions integrator,” says Joyce Mullen, president and CEO of Insight.
When you partner with a Solutions Integrator, you have a trusted advisor as well as a central provider for everything from consultation and design to procurement, all the way through execution, support and managed services. And because of the singular vantage point, there’s greater alignment of objectives and better understanding of dependencies across different organizational domains.
Stan gives the analogy of pulling together different LEGO sets. The first set is technology procurement, such as a VAR. As the conduit between the business (or client) and an ecosystem of partners, a VAR helps clients procure the right technology assets and execute deployment and integration. A VAR may offer services and other managed offerings, but within a limited scope.
The second LEGO set is digital transformation. This is largely achieved through integrating disparate technology, software and solutions to create a seamless ecosystem. This is where you’ll typically see Systems Integrators (SIs). SIs are focused on meeting clients in their transformation and, especially with Global Systems Integrators, the engagement is usually for massive projects.
Finally, the third LEGO set is digital innovation — this is the exciting piece. This is where Solutions Integrators work alongside organizations to unlock data insights to make better business decisions, create new revenue streams, enhance customer or employee experiences and more.
“As a Solutions Integrator, we're across all those worlds, but in the best possible way,” Stan explains. “We have procurement capabilities and incredible partner relationships. But we also have the ability to innovate on top of those platforms and bring those platforms together in a very unique way to solve business problems.”
To put it simply, a Solutions Integrator is the LEGO Master Builder of your technology ecosystem. And that level of mastery, experience and depth is an uncommon — and powerful — combination.