What You Need To Know To Select The Right Service Provider

Choosing The Right Provider Is Easy
The easiest way to pick the right provider is like shopping for a car. Get multiple quotes and solution pitches so you have a good understanding of the available options. Educate yourself on company backgrounds and their service offerings. Choosing the right provider is pretty easy if you follow these guidelines and keep in mind the following points before signing a contract.

- Don’t Get Into The Format Wars: Don’t get so caught up in the streaming media format in which your content is distributed. That is actually the easiest part of the equation, because the solution can usually be provided by more than one streaming media format. Service providers have an excellent understanding of the pros and cons of each streaming media format; and they can recommend the best one based on your goals. Additionally, most providers do not charge extra to distribute one type of format over another. Many times, it is economical to be able to deliver your content in multiple formats.

- It’s All About Setting Correct Expectations: Always go with a provider that takes the time to educate you and listen to your needs. If they are not willing to educate you before you sign a contract, how much do you think they will educate you after they already have you locked into a contract? No matter how good a deal seems, or what you may have heard of the service provider, if the provider doesn’t educate you, set your expectations properly and follow up on those expectations, that’s not the service provider for you.

- Contract Rules: Don’t be pressured into signing a multi-year deal. Pricing for streaming media services gets cheaper year after year, so don’t let the providers scare you into thinking you have to sign a multi-year deal for economy’s sake. Signing a shorter contract allows you, if necessary, to change service providers more easily and not pay early-termination fees.

- Get First-Hand Advice: The most important advice on choosing the right provider is to ask others who use the provider. Ask what they have liked and disliked about the provider. Most providers will also let you test their services, to get hands-on with their products and tools. Any provider unwilling to let you test the "packaged" services — for those that do not require custom solutions — is not really interested in winning your business.

The Bigger Picture
Beyond the above considerations, you should be aware that a good service provider, one who takes the time to understand your needs, can help make your company’s communications needs a reality. Service providers can help your company achieve real world communication solutions with interactivity, allowing you to communicate on a global basis at a fraction of the cost of traditional communication. Improved efficiency and enhanced effective communication of your message is what this is all about.

The service-provider model has evolved over the years and will continue evolving as we see this technology leveraged into mainstream applications. Picking a service provider will always be tricky at times because the needs of each corporation vary, and the available solutions change every year as the technology advances. But if you continue to educate yourself, ask questions and set your expectations correctly, the process will be much easier.