One of the most rewarding yet most challenging partnerships I’ve seen over my career is working with the massive Global System Integrators, also know as GSIs. Many vendors embark on this journey looking to cash in the attractive potential of multi-million $ sales in the world’s top accounts. Unfortunately, many vendors struggle for years and eventually give up. What is so different about GSIs that makes them such a challenge to work with? And what can you do to capture the power of GSIs?

To answer these questions, I turned to Raj Gupta, the head of global partnerships at Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). We delved into Raj’s take on partnerships and the nuances of working effectively with TCS. Raj’s insights serve as a comprehensive guide for building successful partnerships with TCS and other GSIs.

Key Takeaways

Here are the top ten tips I learned from Raj’s experiences and insights:

Appreciate the Breadth and Scale of GSIs

Founded in 1968, TCS now has nearly 600,000 employees worldwide with close to $30 billion in annual revenues. TCS is the trusted advisor to more than 2,500 clients around the globe, with a 95% repeat business.

Understand the Unique Nature of GSIs

TCS, like many other Global System Integrators (GSIs), should not be treated like resellers or boutique delivery shops. GSIs function more as brand ambassadors for their partners, leveraging their extensive relationships and industry expertise to amplify the value of partner technologies.

Focus on Long-Term Relationships

TCS has relationships spanning decades with their clients. To successfully partner with TCS and other GSIs, it’s crucial to align with this long-term vision rather than pursuing short-term gains. Building lasting partnerships based on shared goals and mutual trust is key.

Effective Use of Market Development Funds (MDF)

Raj advises that market development funds should be strategically used, primarily for joint events and creating solutions integrated with existing platforms. Providing GSIs with MDF can drive mindshare and foster collaborations that ultimately result in significant business growth.

Embrace Storytelling

Raj shares a compelling story about a young boy’s interaction with Alexa to illustrate the power of technology in everyday life. He stresses the importance of storytelling in conveying the value of your solutions to clients and partners, making complex concepts more relatable and compelling.

Align on Shared Goals and Objectives

It’s crucial for partners to work in sync with TCS’s internal teams and practices. Creating a joint business plan with clear objectives and regular accountability checks can help ensure both parties are aligned and working towards common goals.

Leverage TCS’s Ecosystem

TCS has a vast ecosystem of 220 strategic partners that they have been trimming down to focus on quality over quantity, ensuring that partnerships are strategic, scalable, and beneficial across different industry verticals. Vendors should consider how their solution integrates within the GSI’s ecosystem for maximum customer benefit.

Importance of Partner Excellence Framework

Make sure you understand what’s important in a partnership to your GSIs. TCS uses a Partner Excellence Framework to evaluate and measure partner performance. Key metrics include stability, market presence, openness to collaboration, and the ability to provide significant extensions of funding and resources.

Building Heart Share and Mind Share

Raj introduces the concept of heart-share (emotional trust) and mind share (cognitive recognition among stakeholders). The goal is to get the mindshare within the GSI organization and within their enterprise customer base. But Raj says that before the mindshare comes the heart-share.

Consider Using Funded Heads

Having a dedicated person who works to build the heart-share and mindshare within the GSI organization around the globe can have a powerful impact. Raj has seen the pipeline build up very quickly with this approach. Going after the wallet share before gaining heart-share and mindshare can slow down and even break the opportunity.

LINKS & RESOURCES

Connect with Raj on LinkedIn
Hear how GSI’s fit into BeyondTrust’s strategy to Drive Growth with a Partner Ecosystem
Try Impartner Partner Management

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