The “packaged solution” uses custom code to create user-friendly intranets that once configured, generally require little input from your IT department. They may sit outside of SharePoint or share some resources. They are typically reliant on a third-party both for support and the technology, and will require an on-going licence fee.
The other is using an “out-of-the-box” SharePoint solution approach. This takes advantage of the toolset that SharePoint gives you to create an intranet solution on a platform most users are already familiar with.
When researching an intranet supplier, otherwise known as an intranet vendor, it’s worth taking the time to dig a little deeper into the company.
If considering packaged solution intranet vendors, often the company that implements the solution is not the one that built it and so you need to establish the relationship between the intranet implementor and the vendor. It’s therefore worth asking the following:
- 3. How well established is the intranet vendor?
- 4. Is their intranet solution their sole or primary focus?
- 5. What experience does the implementor have with the intranet vendor’s product?
- 6. Does the intranet vendor have any testimonials from organisations like yours or intranet case studies based on organisations like yours?
- 7. Can you access and understand their solution roadmap?