EUROPE example is Sky ’ s deep engagement with HP , a primary provider for much of the company ’ s desktop servers and infrastructure . “ We work closely with HP on innovation and the benefit is really felt among our customers both internal and external – for example we host key applications , supporting our key businesses such as Sky Sports and Sky Store , on this infrastructure . Working with great partners like HP and Oracle really enables our business : we look on it as combining our core strengths with theirs to enable the business and simplify how things are done .”
Getting the right people in place has been a cornerstone of Fabio Francalancia ’ s vision ( which he himself admits amounts to a mania ). Technology giants like HP and Cisco
were among many companies that had direct relations with the three national companies : today Cisco ’ former UK account manager and HP ’ s manager on the Sky Deutschland account were chosen as key account managers for the new global business . “ It ’ s great to be working with best of breed partners but you need their people to buy into the vision too . Our partners have been asked to bring their best people to Sky to serve our relationship . They should , as SAP did with Ariba , be able to suggest which kind of system was best fitted to Sky ’ s vision of building an agile , expanding virtual organisation , then coming to us with a solution aligned to our vision .” That , he says , defines good practice in a supplier – the ability to listen , capture the vision and then shape their solution to the customer .
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