When making a major technology investment or deciding to go with a new outsourced service provider, the best decisions are often made after involving multiple stakeholders and employing solid business evaluation methodology. Your evaluation and decision-making process should include all of these elements:

Politics - Smart software and service companies know the importance of C-level selling. On one hand, most C-level professionals get the big picture and will rarely pick a solution solely on price or feature lists. On the other hand, they may lean towards one vendor or another due to a personal relationship, perception of their leadership team, or to keep up with a competitor because that organization uses that solution. C-level votes in many organizations count more than the vote of the rank and file. However, decisions made without the buy-in of those on the firing line are rarely successful.

Strategic planners will anticipate their directors' thought process and make recommendations based on long-term business impact. By conducting due diligence on the stability of the vendor - years in business, strength of its customer list, number of employees, longevity of the leadership team - you'll have greater confidence on your ability to stay with that provider for the recommended three-plus years.

People and Processes - If you are making a technology or vendor decision that affects numerous individuals or departments, get those areas involved. It is important to have their buy-in and support. Also look for opportunities to improve and streamline your business processes. Vendors with a proven track record of providing services or solutions to similar organizations or events should bring best practices to the table. If you don't take advantage of these, you're missing a golden opportunity. Ask for references and case studies of how they've been able to help others.

When selecting an outsourced partner, make sure that you have good chemistry with the folks who will be your day-to-day contacts. For outsourcing to be successful, personal relationships (i.e., trust) are often more important than the company you select.

Functionality - You need to have a good match between your needs and the functionality offered by the product or service you are considering. Be careful not to be taken in by bells and whistles. One vendor may have 25 canned reports and the other has 50. Both have ad-hoc report writing capabilities and good data import/export. My guess is the company offering 25 may have better focus or ease of use. Be sure to investigate and understand a provider's future plans. You want to partner with a company that will grow with you and is focused on continuous improvement. If they can't get you excited about what's in their development pipeline, you probably have the wrong partner.

Technology - If the majority of your requirements need to be met through customization versus configuration, you are likely in for a lengthy implementation. Ask for a demonstration to understand how configurable a software system is. System integration has become a significant issue. If the data that you collect from your events (e.g., registration, session attendance, demographics) is not being leveraged to help drive your future business, you're leaving money on the table.

If you commit enough time and resources to doing each of the above well, chances are you'll make the right buying decision.

When evaluating outsourced technology or other product/ service providers, keep the following basics in mind:

1. Get buy-in from above and below. Decisions made without the input of those on the firing line are rarely successful.

2. Do your due diligence. Find out how many years your potential partner has been in business, the strength of its customer list, number of employees, and longevity of leadership. Get references.

3. Learn from others. Ask for best practices, how have they helped others?

4. Focus on important technology. Look for functionality that meshes with your needs.

Dave Lutz is managing director of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting, www.velvetchainsaw. com, a business improvement consultant specializing in the meeting and event industry. His company assists organizations in realizing top- and bottom-line growth by delivering customer-focused solutions in business development, best practice and process improvement, strategic planning, and training.