dministra- tive database. Commitment to Open Standards. Question the vendors' awareness and commitment to open standards. Are they keeping up with specifications and recommendations from the standards committees? 6. A Diverse Range of Vendor Services. To what extent is the vendor prepared to support you through product implementation and beyond? Can they provide a turn- key installation? If so, they probably have a better The Telecom Handbook 33 133 CALL ACCOUNTING & TELEMANAGEMENT SYSTEMS understanding of their platform and the applications they have developed to run on it. This is a definite as- set when you enlist the vendor's help to solve any problems that arise. Find out also if the vendor provides customization services and, along with this, the composition of the vendor's organization. Look for a company that has a sig- nificant group of people in product development, application development and technical support. You will need people that can work with you to help define your requirements and then translate those needs into an ac- tual application. The staff's level of expertise is also important. De- velop an understanding of their backgrounds. Software is tied very closely to the company from which it comes, SO you should assess not only the product, but the people. Get some indication of their knowledge, such as number of years with the company or experience in telecommu- nications. Also check the rate of turnover in the product development area. Since software is always changing (new features and applications added), if there is a high rate of turnover you may not get a consistent product. 7. Vendor Stability. The telemanagement market is a vola- tile environment. Check how many times a vendor has been bought and sold, changed presidents or modified company philosophy. The vendor's longevity in the in- dustry will affect the product. You will need a close tie to your vendor in order to expand or modify your system in the future. Therefore, choose a vendor with whom you'll feel comfortable for the lon