In a special, two-part episode of Channel Insider: Partner POV, Katie Bavoso hosts Chance Irvine, vice president of information technology at Transit Technologies. Irvine shares his extensive experience as an IT leader working with contracted channel solution providers.
Irvine’s insights provide valuable lessons for MSPs, resellers, and all solution providers aiming to enhance their services and partnerships.
Listen to Part 1 of the podcast:
Watch the Part 1 video:
Meet Transit Technologies
Irvine begins by explaining the scope and mission of Transit Technologies, a holding company established five years ago that manages seven operating companies. These companies, ranging in maturity from just a few years to over 40, are dedicated to improving quality of life through safe, effective, and reliable mobility solutions. These include non-emergency medical transportation, micro-transit, and trip planning.
As the vice president of IT, Irvine’s day-to-day responsibilities encompass operations, security, compliance, technology, purchasing, and vendor management. He briefly describes his role by saying, “I’m helping make sure our user base and the resources we use are as secure as they can be, and all our users can get their job done with the equipment they have.” His multifaceted role requires balancing immediate operational needs with long-term strategic goals, ensuring security and efficiency.
Leveraging channel partners for success
For Transit Technologies, channel partners are indispensable. Irvine underscores the importance of these partnerships, stating, “Channel is very critical to our success. At Transit, we run a very lean internal team.” The company relies heavily on third parties for various IT needs, including engaging with managed service providers (MSPs) for help desks and network needs, security operations centers (SoC), and sourcing other security solutions.
Building a team, whether internal or external, is an investment, and Irvine emphasizes that hiring all the necessary skill sets in-house doesn’t always make sense. Irvine points out the practicality of this approach, particularly in specialty areas.
He notes, “Some of those key specialty areas are deep engineering. You might need to have them in-house. For some companies, it’s just never going to work. You might get them there for a short time for a short project, but you’re likely not going to keep them interested for the long haul.” Therefore, leveraging channel partners allows Transit Technologies to access high-level talent when needed without the long-term commitment of in-house hires.
Maintaining regular communication with channel partners
Contrary to the notion of outsourcing leading to disengagement, one of Irvine’s key insights is maintaining close relationships with channel partners. “It’s not outsourcing and then walking away. These are people that you speak to on a fairly regular basis,” he explains.
Regular communication ensures that external partners are well-integrated into the team and function almost as internal staff. This collaboration is essential for managing daily operations and addressing immediate issues, making the distinction between internal and external resources almost negligible.
This frequent interaction ensures that Transit Technologies remains proactive rather than reactive in its IT and operational strategies. By maintaining close relationships with channel partners, the company can anticipate and address potential challenges before they escalate, thereby maintaining a high standard of service and security for its operating companies.
Addressing challenges with external expertise
Irvine provides a compelling rationale for why relying on external partners is often more practical than attempting to retain all expertise in-house. He shares that one of the significant advantages of using channel partners is their ability to stay abreast of market changes and technological advancements.
When faced with a new challenge or a shift in the operational environment, channel partners act as “technology brokers,” quickly narrowing down the best solutions from a vast market. This expertise allows businesses to implement the best solutions without the delay of extensive internal research.
For instance, Irvine mentions the company’s journey toward SoC 2 compliance certification, highlighting the invaluable role of external partners.
With limited internal resources, achieving SoC 2 compliance independently would have been a prolonged and arduous process. “Had we not used the outsource partners, we would still be waiting a year and a half or two to be ready on our own,” Irvine admits. This reliance on specialized partners streamlines compliance and frees internal resources to focus on core business activities.
The importance of understanding your leadership
In this segment of the interview, Irvine explains how he navigates leadership when advocating for new channel partners. He stresses the significance of understanding the mindset of business leadership before initiating any conversation about external collaborations.
Irvine’s approach teaches a vital lesson for IT professionals: Knowing your leadership’s predisposition towards outsourcing can make discussions about channel partners smoother. For instance, if the leadership is already inclined towards outsourcing, the conversation becomes less about convincing them of its benefits and more about identifying the right partners.
However, in cases where leadership is hesitant, it’s essential to present a well-thought-out argument that includes cost-benefit analyses and potential impacts on the company’s operations and security.
Listen to Part 2 of the podcast:
Watch the Part 2 video:
Building strong internal relationships
Irvine stresses the importance of building solid relationships with financial and operational leadership within an organization.
Effective communication with these leaders is paramount for gaining their support for technology projects. “Championing your financial leadership” is a key strategy Irvine advocates. He suggests engaging with the CFO to ensure they understand how proposed changes will impact the company’s bottom line. This relationship can facilitate fluid approvals for new projects and investments.
He also emphasizes the value of understanding and aligning with your direct leadership’s perspective. He notes, “You need to sit down, have a cup of coffee, just talk to them, learn a little bit about them.” This approach helps tailor communication to fit their style and needs, making getting buy-in for technology initiatives easier. Building this rapport can significantly ease the process of introducing new technologies or strategies, ensuring they align with broader business goals.
Planting seeds for future success
Irvine also highlights the importance of laying the groundwork for future projects through ongoing conversations with various stakeholders. He states, “You need to have planted some seeds, had some conversations… Have some of those conversations to understand the various things you can bring to the table.” This ensures that when a formal proposal is made, key decision-makers are already familiar with the concepts and supportive of the initiative.
For businesses, successful project approval often hinges on the relationships and understanding built long before any formal meeting. IT leaders should continuously engage with different departments, gathering insights and building consensus. This way, when it’s time to pitch a new project, there are already champions within the organization who can advocate for its approval.
Integrating new technology trends
Towards the end of the discussion, Bavoso asks about the technology trends Irvine is implementing this year.
Irvine highlights security, compliance, and AI as critical areas for his organization. He mentions that implementing new security measures should not adversely affect end users: “We need to do any of the things we need to make ourselves more secure but to do it in a way that doesn’t impact our end users very much.”
Additionally, Irvine is exploring AI to improve operational effectiveness in transportation. He challenges his team to think beyond just having AI capabilities and focus on meaningful applications. He illustrates this with examples of using AI for routing and real-time updates, which helps avoid traffic and improve service delivery.
Tune in to the video or podcast above for more insights from Katie Bavoso and Transit Technologies VP of IT Chance Irvine — and be sure to like and subscribe for future interviews with solution providers and thought leaders, plus special episodes and opportunities!
