Integrator & Software Vendor: A winning combination!
Digital transformation has become an essential strategic direction for companies aiming to grow. With the vast array of software solutions available on the market, it can be difficult to determine the best way to begin the transformation. While many companies start by consulting one or more software vendors, this approach has its limitations. Each field is saturated with various solutions and vendors, making it challenging to find the right fit.
Conducting a preliminary audit to clearly define your company’s needs is a better starting point than trying to fit those needs into the pre-existing scope of functionalities offered by software vendors. This is the best way to select an application stack that will best serve your company’s strategy.
At DATASOLUTION, we’ve developed a unique approach that combines the expertise of both a software vendor and an integrator, ensuring comprehensive solutions that meet your specific needs.
What’s the difference between a Software Vendor and an Integrator?
- The Software Vendor
A software vendor designs and develops software solutions to meet specific business needs. The vendor offers relevant functionalities through a roadmap, which outlines the evolution of the software over time.
Modern vendors don’t claim to do everything but instead focus on providing cutting-edge technologies such as Cloud Native, microservices, and modern UX, with an API-first culture to ensure seamless integration with other tools. - The Integrator
An integrator helps clients deploy and customize the software solution created by the vendor. With a multidisciplinary team, the integrator ensures the solution works within a client’s complex IT environment.
Integrators also handle data migration, system connections, design needs, and user experience (UI/UX). They can provide hosting, support, and ongoing maintenance, ensuring the solution is tailored to the client’s business processes.
Why are they complementary?
Most companies will need software solutions to manage their marketing data and other key business data. Here’s how the process typically unfolds:
➢ The software vendor develops a solution based on what they believe will provide the most value to their target market.
➢ The integrator then implements and customizes that solution to perfectly fit the client’s unique needs. The integrator also handles system connections, hosting, support, and even UX design to ensure a smooth deployment.
Why choose an integrator with vendor expertise for your digital transformation?
At DATASOLUTION, we offer an alternative vision: the “Edigrator” (a combination of Editor and Integrator).
The first benefit of working with an Edigrator is having a single point of contact throughout your entire project. We provide end-to-end support, from needs assessment to delivery, while remaining solution-agnostic to offer the best tools for your business.
Our needs assessment phase is a key step in launching a successful project, free from the constraints of any specific software or pre-defined functionality.
For example, if your priority is product information management (PIM), it’s essential to define your final goal. You may realize that you also need to manage digital assets (DAM) to distribute content across various channels. In this case, a Master Data Management (MDM) approach, which covers both product and digital asset management, may be a better fit than simply implementing a PIM solution.
By working with a single Edigrator, you reduce the risk of technical issues, delays, and miscommunications. A single point of contact ensures faster decision-making and more efficient problem-solving.
What are the benefits of an “Edigrator”?
Choosing an Edigrator means working with a team of multi-skilled professionals with diverse expertise: sales, support, hosting, consulting, R&D, and more. This relationship is more of a partnership than a traditional client-service provider arrangement.
The goal is to deliver complete client satisfaction by mastering a broad range of domains and offering an integrated solution that covers both software development and solution implementation.
Improved productivity
The reduction of intermediaries and internal communication among the team allows for faster project execution compared to traditional approaches. Several factors contribute to this:
➢ A library of features that grows with every new project, simplifying future integrations.
➢ A better understanding of client needs thanks to a team of passionate experts.
➢ A seamless implementation process driven by a team-oriented mindset and a strong partnership with the client.
