For years companies assumed that the default to accelerate their support process was to create a formalized Cooperative Support Agreement (CSA) between two or more companies. Such agreements enhance the customer service experience by enabling a fully coordinated approach from technical support personnel of both companies. However, the downside can be the time for creation and implementation of these agreements which can run into weeks and even months.
Why?
High level business agreements require legal approval, training support personnel on the operational execution of the agreement and even that such an arrangement exists. Many companies are now abandoning this concept for a streamlined and easier process provided by TSANet, a Not-For-Profit organization founded for this very purpose. Next time you’re thinking of a CSA, here’s why you should NOT choose the CSA path.
Financial Considerations
- Time – Product to market services are time sensitive. Members of TSANet can typically create and implement a cooperative support arrangement in five to seven business days.
- Money – Time is money and CSAs are no different. Why tie up expensive resources at both the management and legal level when the structure, legal and operational framework is already in place?
Legal Considerations
TSANet is run by the industry and that includes the legal teams. Each member agrees to an industry standard Code of Conduct which includes a Confidentiality clause that legal teams have already agreed upon. You can simply utilize the structure to implement your relationship.
Approvals, changes and changes to changes means wasted time, money and resources. Which company will take the lead? Who will draft the document and what will it include? Exactly what are the support elements of the relationship and how will they be executed? All the answers are tools TSANet members have at their fingertips.
Operational Considerations
Amazingly sometimes CSAs can be so hard to implement that once completed, it just sits in someone’s drawer. When engineers need cooperative support, they’ve no idea how to use it or that a relationship even exists. TSANet provides an easy interface that guides engineers on exactly how to contact a member to leverage the combined technical support services of both companies to help their mutual customers.
Working with a Partner that does not want to join TSANet as Basic or Premium? You can add them to your own private custom group. Contact Us to learn more.