Navigating complex choices for a stronger future
Breaking up with a supplier is an important decision that can have significant consequences for your business. Several causes are very often precursors to a “customer/supplier divorce”: recurrent and too random price variations, an aging solution and complexity of evolution, missing support services, non-existent monitoring and maintenance, disagreement, meeting with another supplier, etc.
In any case, you are no longer quite sure that your collaboration with your MFT supplier meets your expectations.
However, this is not a trivial decision and requires careful consideration before committing to it.
Clearly identify the reasons why you want to break up with your supplier and make sure it’s not an impulsive but well-considered decision.
Weigh the pros and cons of breaking up and evaluate the alternatives available. Also check the contract, before taking any action. Examine the termination clauses, possible penalties and notice required.
Also consider alternative solutions to fill the gap left by the old supplier. Communicate directly with your supplier by being as transparent as possible. Focus on the facts and the objective reasons for your decision.
Even if the business relationship ends, it is always good to maintain a professional and courteous attitude. You never know if you might need to work with this supplier again in the future.
Breaking up with a supplier should always be approached with professionalism and respect. Be sure to plan each step well so that the transition goes smoothly.
Key features to compare between MFT solution providers
In order to build the future of MFT, it is essential to have a mature partner who understands your business inside and out.
The supplier and his team must demonstrate solid expertise. This may include specific skills, certifications, experience in similar projects, etc.
You can of course also rely on the various online reviews, references and case studies to assess the reputation of the provider.
The first step in choosing an MFT provider is to clearly understand what you need. This can include hardware, software, support, consulting, software development, project management, etc. Be sure to involve all relevant stakeholders to get a clear picture of what you need.
Once you have defined your needs, start looking for suppliers who can meet them. This may include online research, recommendations from colleagues or other industry professionals, customer reviews, etc.
After finding several potential MFT vendors, start evaluating them. You can request product demonstrations or free trials to evaluate Managed File Transfer solutions.
Ask them for a proposal, including details on services, costs, implementation times, after-sales support, etc.
Compare the proposals then make your choice.
Click here to download our comparison template.
What are the breaking points?
As mentioned briefly above, several causes can be at the origin of a rupture with its supplier.
The cost: The price is obviously an essential point. Some MFT providers only offer one application that you must purchase in full. Flexibility should be a big deal so you can upgrade when you want and only pay for the features you use.
Also, some solutions can be expensive, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. The pricing structure is sometimes not as transparent or predictable as desired.
Ease of use: Many existing MFT solutions are complex, which can require a large team of experts to install, operate, and maintain. This may require an experienced IT team of external consultants to maximize their use. This complexity will unfortunately increase your costs and can affect the agility of your business.
Additionally, some vendors provide help documentation that is not always comprehensive or easy to understand. This can make learning, setting up and using the products more tedious and difficult. Easy-to-use software where “integrations don’t necessarily require the help of developers” is a strong argument. A user-friendly program that is quick to master is necessary in order to be operational in just a few days/weeks.
Beyond the simple MFT solution: Here is an important point to consider when choosing an MFT solution. Not all MFT vendors offer support services such as migration, training, and solution maintenance.
In addition, customer service must provide an acceptable response time and resolve issues effectively.
A premium service may exist for any customer in need of 24/7 support.
Lack of investment and follow-up: Do you feel that your current MFT provider is not very invested and does not listen to you? When was the last time you saw a roadmap focused on more than just maintenance updates?
It may be time to take a deeper look at your vendor’s commitment and recognition to you and their MFT solution.
A punctual follow-up as well as the reception of news on the activity of your supplier is always good to hear. This allows you to know the news, trends and developments concerning your supplier and the solutions.
Performance doesn’t meet expectations: When you’re dealing with thousands of file transfers a day, failure issues can be extremely annoying. Downtime or failed transfers are simply not acceptable for critical MFTs.
You can’t afford to risk losing your customers’ trust when a file never arrives.
This is why a solution with real-time alerts, high availability and automatic recovery in the event of transfer failures should be considered.
Do you feel trapped: proprietary protocols, complex configuration and maintenance? Rigid contracts that are difficult to change?
Unfortunately, our teams are used to this type of situation.
When installing an MFT solution, make sure it is compatible with other solutions for future replacement.
Many companies are trapped, unable to get rid of their supplier with restricted solutions.
Why should I trust BlueFinch-ESBD for my MFT?
File transfers (Managed File Transfer or MFT) play an essential role in the secure transmission of sensitive data between organisations. It is important to guarantee the confidentiality, integrity and availability of these transfers.
At BlueFinch-ESBD, we understand that file transfers are a major issue these days. This is why we have specialised in securing and integrating data. The foundation of long-term client relationships and lasting partnerships is our core value.
We help companies with our MFT services, advice and expertise.
Today’s challenges require modern solutions, which means MFT vendors must continuously evolve to meet these demands.
That’s why we offer the GoAnywhere MFT solution from FORTRA, formerly HelpSystems.
We have confidence in this publisher, with whom we have been working daily for more than 10 years.
Our FORTRA certified specialists, and more particularly GoAnywhere, guide organisations throughout their file transfer and integration projects to offer optimised and efficient solutions adapted to their environments and their needs.
The GoAnywhere file transfer software we provide offers the flexibility and scalability expected, allowing you to simplify, secure and control:
- file transfers from server to server by batch,
- ad hoc file transfers from a user to the system,
- Person-to-person collaboration on files through modular applications.
We are a trusted integrator of data security solutions, with over 12 years of experience serving clients across all industries. Our European presence allows us to offer a quality service to our customers.
Working in an industry where huge amounts of data are handled and with clients who process sensitive and personal information, we hold ourselves to high standards thanks to ISO 27001.
Whether in France or the Netherlands, our IT experts are enthusiastic challengers to be able to advise you and take up new challenges. We value the quality of the close relationship that we maintain with our customers. From the first commercial contact to the support of our technical support, each exchange is an opportunity to enrich our know-how and deliver a high level of service to our customers.
