Bianca WrightGetting the inside track on what the buy-side want from a vendor relationship is not always easy, but doing so can provide invaluable insight into the vendor selection process. In this latest episode of Nearshore Café, Michael Moore, VP Customer Care & Sales Operations at SiriusXM, explains what he looks for in vendors and how he manages what can be a tricky relationship.
For Moore, the key is in not allowing other departments such as procurement to dictate how the client-vendor relationship is run and ensuring that the internal team vision is aligned with how partners are viewed in the broader strategy. “We keep our fingers on the pulse of the industry,” he said, “to ensure that we identify strategic business partners that we can enter into long-term partnership with.”
Moore discussed examples of partnerships that did not work, as well as the factors – such as the maturity and saturation level of the location and the price point needed to deliver quality talent on a consistent basis – that can impact on such relationships.
The choice of vendor, for Moore, is often determined by whether it is “somebody who can demonstrate that they have taken the time to understand my business and my needs”, rather than highlight their own successes.
He emphasized the value of a measured approach to growth in new geographies. Moore’s approach in selecting vendors in new geographies involves spending time with a partner in that location and scoping out the views of people beyond potential vendors, such as government ministers. His advice is to “approach it as though you are launching a BPO.”
Moore also discussed his views of the current state of the nearshore, citing set-ups in Guatemala, Costa Rica, The Dominican Republic and Panama. Although Sirius does not currently have any operations in South America – “all our support is done in English and our capacity requirements are being met by Central America” – he is following developments in the area and feels good about the region.
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