Common
Questions
What does TREU Partners actually do?
We specialize in helping IT and Procurement leaders save significant amounts of TIME and MONEY by handling many of the tasks related to working with technology suppliers, so our clients don't have to.
Some examples would be that typically an IT Director may task the manager of IT Infrastructure to find a supplier to help them migrate from MPLS to SD-WAN globally. Instead of the Manager of IT Infrastructure spending hours exploring the supplier ecosystem to find best fit suppliers or that same manager going to their procurement team to find a best fit supplier, we will do that for them. We have the systems and tools to identify this type of information quickly, saving countless hours for our clients so that they can remain focused on what is core to their business.
Some examples would be that typically an IT Director may task the manager of IT Infrastructure to find a supplier to help them migrate from MPLS to SD-WAN globally. Instead of the Manager of IT Infrastructure spending hours exploring the supplier ecosystem to find best fit suppliers or that same manager going to their procurement team to find a best fit supplier, we will do that for them. We have the systems and tools to identify this type of information quickly, saving countless hours for our clients so that they can remain focused on what is core to their business.
How big is TREU Partners?
This is a great question; one we get asked often. TREU Partners is a boutique consulting firm that has access to the entire Technology Supplier Ecosystem. TREU Partners does not sell any products or services directly to our clients and as such, we are not actually doing the fulfillment for a specific product of service that a client may order from a supplier, the supplier is. We make sure that the supplier is doing what they are supposed to be doing... oversight if you will.
We have access to literally thousands of suppliers and all of their sales, engineering, and support resources for anything a client may need from a technology perspective.
So how big are we? As big as we need to be for any challenge a client is trying to solve!
We have access to literally thousands of suppliers and all of their sales, engineering, and support resources for anything a client may need from a technology perspective.
So how big are we? As big as we need to be for any challenge a client is trying to solve!
Why should we work with an IT Partner as opposed to buying and sourcing directly from a supplier?
Great question! The reasons are many, and the most important are as follows:
Time Savings
1. The typical technology buying process inside a medium to large enterprise typically involves a number of internal resources and departments as well as a number of external suppliers, resources, etc. Usually, the client will try to figure what suppliers to use, then they schedule initial meetings with 3 or 4 different suppliers to understand supplier capability, the supplier will want to understand client requirements, etc. Let's say that an initial meeting with a supplier is scheduled for 1 hour (meetings always seem to either start late or run long). The supplier will usually have 2 or 3 team members and the client will have 1 or 2 team members participating in the initial meeting. Conservatively, 3-5 people hours will be spent physically in each meeting, and there will be at least 3 initial meetings that the client will need to have. That equals 9 - 15 people hours spent on initial meetings. This does not factor in the email exchanges, texts, and phone calls before and after the initial meetings to ask additional questions, do additional research, etc. The actual time spent by the client alone is closer to 30-35 hours and that is just on initial meetings with suppliers, follow-up, additional supplier research, and internal meetings to report on the initial supplier meetings. The time the client is conservatively spending on an initial meeting is approaching a full 40-hour week which does not include their day job! With TREU Partners, you get all of that time back and more!!
We will handle all of the initial meetings, discovery, etc. with the suppliers so that our clients don't have to. We will provide summaries and reports back to the client so that they don't have to generate them. We typically participate in client meetings with IT leadership so that we can present the information on suppliers firsthand.
TREU Partners is not replacing the supplier or the ability to work directly with a supplier account team. We are simply making it easier for our clients and frankly, the supplier, to do so.
Time Savings
1. The typical technology buying process inside a medium to large enterprise typically involves a number of internal resources and departments as well as a number of external suppliers, resources, etc. Usually, the client will try to figure what suppliers to use, then they schedule initial meetings with 3 or 4 different suppliers to understand supplier capability, the supplier will want to understand client requirements, etc. Let's say that an initial meeting with a supplier is scheduled for 1 hour (meetings always seem to either start late or run long). The supplier will usually have 2 or 3 team members and the client will have 1 or 2 team members participating in the initial meeting. Conservatively, 3-5 people hours will be spent physically in each meeting, and there will be at least 3 initial meetings that the client will need to have. That equals 9 - 15 people hours spent on initial meetings. This does not factor in the email exchanges, texts, and phone calls before and after the initial meetings to ask additional questions, do additional research, etc. The actual time spent by the client alone is closer to 30-35 hours and that is just on initial meetings with suppliers, follow-up, additional supplier research, and internal meetings to report on the initial supplier meetings. The time the client is conservatively spending on an initial meeting is approaching a full 40-hour week which does not include their day job! With TREU Partners, you get all of that time back and more!!
We will handle all of the initial meetings, discovery, etc. with the suppliers so that our clients don't have to. We will provide summaries and reports back to the client so that they don't have to generate them. We typically participate in client meetings with IT leadership so that we can present the information on suppliers firsthand.
TREU Partners is not replacing the supplier or the ability to work directly with a supplier account team. We are simply making it easier for our clients and frankly, the supplier, to do so.
Can we still work directly with a supplier if we utilize TREU Partners?
Yes! In fact, we believe it is essential for our clients to have a great working relationship with all of their suppliers. Our role is to help make that Supplier / Client Relationship not just survive, but really THRIVE!
If our clients are being honest with themselves, they know they simply don't have the time to invest in their supplier relationships. That is where we come in. We help bridge gaps where they exist between the Supplier / Client, handle QBRs, primary sales point of contact for the client so the client's inbox isn't overflowing with emails they can't get to in a timely fashion but actually require a response, etc.
We make it easier for our clients to work directly with their suppliers!
If our clients are being honest with themselves, they know they simply don't have the time to invest in their supplier relationships. That is where we come in. We help bridge gaps where they exist between the Supplier / Client, handle QBRs, primary sales point of contact for the client so the client's inbox isn't overflowing with emails they can't get to in a timely fashion but actually require a response, etc.
We make it easier for our clients to work directly with their suppliers!
Is TREU Partners a reseller?
No! We do not resell any supplier services. Clients will always buy from and contract directly with a supplier.
Does TREU Partners charge for any of its services?
The answer is NO, provided the client engages with TREU Partners and allows us to register opportunities with suppliers.
However, there may be a few rare exceptions, but we would discuss those and come to an agreement with our client prior to performing the service.
However, there may be a few rare exceptions, but we would discuss those and come to an agreement with our client prior to performing the service.
How does TREU Partners get paid / make money?
The way we are compensated is very similar to how stockbrokers and insurance agents are paid... from the companies their clients buy from, not from the client directly.
We are paid by the supplier, all suppliers.
We are paid by the supplier, all suppliers.
IF TREU Partners is paid by the supplier, how can we be sure you are supplier agnostic?
This is a very common question and a very fair one.
We will receive compensation from all suppliers that our clients source with TREU Partners involved. It doesn't matter which supplier it is.
You could ask the same question to a direct supplier salesperson, which is not supplier agnostic. They too, get paid by the supplier they work for.
In the end, it is really the client that is paying, just about perspective.
We deeply value the partnership with our client and want to work with our clients for decades, not a year or two. So, for TREU, it is always about the best supplier to provide the best solution for our clients. It is never about which supplier pays us more... never!
We will receive compensation from all suppliers that our clients source with TREU Partners involved. It doesn't matter which supplier it is.
You could ask the same question to a direct supplier salesperson, which is not supplier agnostic. They too, get paid by the supplier they work for.
In the end, it is really the client that is paying, just about perspective.
We deeply value the partnership with our client and want to work with our clients for decades, not a year or two. So, for TREU, it is always about the best supplier to provide the best solution for our clients. It is never about which supplier pays us more... never!
What kind of tools and systems does TRUE Partners have to help its clients?
We have a rich set of tools and systems that we use to inform IT Strategy, Frameworks, Supplier Capability, Expense Management, Cost Containment, and so much more.
We also have access to top engineering and support talent with domain expertise spanning the entire IT Estate.
We also have access to top engineering and support talent with domain expertise spanning the entire IT Estate.
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