Partnering Program

Making relationships work

Increasingly, to be successful in meeting your business objectives you need to work closely and collaboratively with other organisations. But developing fruitful business partnerships is not always easy - even in good circumstances relationships are often low-level, transaction-based and/or merely contractual.

We recognise that our success and, most importantly, that of our customers depends on more than just providing excellent technology and services. We strive to exceed the expectations of our clients, eliminate problem areas and capture productivity gains for all.

Our experience is that successful relationships thrive in a culture of trust, cooperation and commitment - a partnering culture that grows when the key people clearly understand and agree on:

• what we want to achieve together
• known or potential obstacles
• our expectations of one another
• how we will resolve issues when they arise
• how we will monitor and review progress
• the principles and values we will work by

While a successful partnership benefits all parties, the desire to partner often comes down to nothing more than wishful thinking and empty words. Left to chance, some business relationships will prosper while others will never realise the potential savings, service improvements and revenue growth opportunities that can stem from a strong business partnership.

Turn good intentions into reality

Fujitsu's Partnering Program is a proven methodology that turns good intentions into reality and provides a framework to ensure business objectives are achieved in a cooperative and effective way. The program addresses the elements that are common in any successful relationship. It's about agreeing on a shared purpose, understanding the value for each party and building an environment of cooperation and trust.

Using a structured approach we work with you to:

• design a partnering plan to set the objectives and expectations of the partnership. This will identify the key players and include an initial design for a partnering workshop
• conduct a partnering workshop where we define our shared purpose and principles, our roles and responsibilities, and our issue resolution and review processes
• the workshop is usually a one-day event led by an independent facilitator. It is constructed to deliver:
  
  • a partnering charter - the centrepiece of the workshop, used to assess the success of the relationship
  • an issue resolution process
  • a joint evaluation process
  • an agreed action plan for moving forward
  • the beginnings of a partnering culture.
• review and evaluate our relationship on an on-going basis

Levels of partnering

Different organisations call for different approaches to partnering.

Prior to adopting Fujitsu's methodology, we work with you to assess the potential of the relationship and confirm the opportunity for real added value for all parties. We jointly agree what we want our partnership to be and how far we want it to go.

1. Project specific: establishing a project on a sound footing. We jointly define the overall aim and key deliverables and agree how we will care for and manage the relationship throughout the project.
2. Relationship management: ensuring our client-vendor relationship works effectively. We jointly develop a shared understanding of what we want to achieve together and define processes for resolving issues. We also agree how we will measure and review the achievement of key tasks and the on-going health of the relationship.
3. Strategic partnering: using Fujitsu's partnering methodology to establish a long-term strategic relationship. This type of partnership facilitates growth and competitive advantage for both parties by focusing on new areas of shared opportunity. It can lead to innovative and creative business solutions, improved processes and shared savings. However, strategic partnering is not for everyone - it demands commitment, time and effort at multiple levels within your organisation and ours.

Benefits of the Fujitsu Partnering Program - as our customers see it:

• Better coordination leading to projects that come in on time and within budget
• Creates or leads to a less stressful and more enjoyable working environment
• If employed early, it can be valuable in contract negotiations
• Provides an opportunity for strong working relationships to build between senior management in both organisations
• It places the relationship focus on resolution and finding creative solutions, rather than on blame
• It promotes understanding of one another's cultures and goals and allows for their alignment
• Fujitsu gets to know our business needs and priorities better
• Once the foundation is in place, there is a framework we can use to explore more strategic opportunities and relationships

An ongoing and dynamic process

Our experience is that partnering is not a linear process. It is a cyclical process that evolves as the demands and opportunities of the relationship develop. Importantly, the Fujitsu Partnering Program offers a way of working together that allows the participants to add value over and above a purely contractual relationship.

In its simplest form, the Fujitsu Partnering Program provides a structured framework for smooth working relationships with minimal disputes. When the focus is more strategic, the program builds a foundation for healthy and rewarding long-term business relationships, based on shared learning and shared success.

Concerns people have about partnering

Partnering is hype and jargon. It's all words and no substance. There's a lot of hype around, but Fujitsu has a track record of successful partnerships with clients. We work with you through a proven and structured process that defines what our relationship will look like and how we will make it successful.

It sounds a bit touchy-feely. Poor working relationships can be costly, both commercially and in terms of their impact on people. Promised business outcomes are compromised, stress levels are high and much time and money is wasted while things are put right. The Fujitsu Partnering Program focuses on building relationships that can handle the many and varied challenges of the complex business environments in which we work.

It's too early for us to partner - we haven't worked together yet. We don't know if we want to partner with you. The Fujitsu Partnering Program is flexible and can be tailored to suit the particular needs of each customer. It provides a framework for modifying the relationship as the business environment evolves.

The type of relationship you want with Fujitsu may depend on several factors, including the level of your investment, the business impacts and how comfortable you initially feel with us.

At the beginning of a relationship, the program helps both parties define the basic elements: what we want to achieve, how we will deal with problems when they arise, and what we expect in terms of working practices and responsibilities.

In an existing relationship, the partnering program can be used to clear issues and concerns and bring a new sense of focus.

More information

To find out more about the Fujitsu Partnering Program, or to initiate the Partnering process for your organisation, please contact your Fujitsu account manager or your nearest Fujitsu branch.