THREE CRITICAL QUESTIONS
How to start and plan your next product development project
What does your process look like?
You’re looking for two things here: a partner who has a defined process that you can work within, and a partner who is flexible and will adapt to whatever your go-to-market processes are. They should be comfortable with both scenarios. If you’re new to OEM, you may work best in a defined workflow – a good OEM will lay all that out for you on the front end.
Tell me about your global team, and how we will work together?
With today’s global society, time zone and cultural differences can make for operational inefficiencies. This costs you both time and money. Inquire about your OEM’s support team within your geographic area – for example, can you get tech support in your own language? Can your engineers work together during normal business hours? Your partner should have a strong team in a time zone and language you can work with.
What value do you, as an OEM, bring to the relationship?
Business relationships are about far more than making great products. The value beyond the products is critical. Drill down to find out what kind of technical support you will get after the sale, how easy all the team members are to work with, and whether or not this partner is committed to your long-term success. If they can help with strategy, design, planning, processes, budget and more, chances are they are the right partner for you.
