In our latest ‘Ask the Expert’ video, our client, Martin Court of Redcentric, shares his perspective on how to build a strong partnership with a supplier.
Alongside our Director of Engagement, Gareth Davies, Martin starts by recounting a situation many organisations will recognise: a powerful technology platform that, after an early implementation, simply wasn’t delivering. Instead of starting again from scratch, Redcentric faced a much harder challenge: repairing and rebuilding a damaged foundation while continuing to move the business forward.
What followed was a collaboration built on trust, transparency and shared goals.
Fixing What Was Already Broken
When Martin and his team assessed their existing Microsoft Dynamics 365 environment, the issue wasn’t the technology itself. The organisation had invested in a strong stack centred around Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and Microsoft Power Platform. But the original implementation had created major technical challenges; in Martin’s words, the system had effectively been “vandalised”.
This meant a straightforward reimplementation wasn’t an option. The platform already supported critical processes, so it needed to be repaired, stabilised and improved, all while continuing to operate. That required a partner with deep Dynamics expertise and the ability to work within a complex, imperfect environment.
Finding the Right Partner
Rather than defaulting to one of the industry’s largest consultancies, Martin took a different approach. Having previously worked with major technology suppliers, he was clear about what he wanted to avoid: large organisations where projects could become impersonal and rigid.
Instead, he looked for a partner that was large enough to deliver complex work, but also small enough that the customer relationship truly mattered. TrueNorth stood out quickly.
After speaking with several potential Dynamics partners and consulting Microsoft contacts, it became clear that TrueNorth combined the right technical skills with the partnership mindset Redcentric was looking for. The result wasn’t simply a supplier engagement – it was the start of a long-term working relationship.
Building a Strategic Platform
The initial objective was clear: stabilise and repair the Dynamics 365 environment. However, Redcentric’s ambitions went much further.
The company operates a complex enterprise ecosystem, including external platforms. Integrating these systems into a cohesive environment was a critical part of the roadmap.
This meant TrueNorth needed to support not only remediation work, but also future integration and transformation initiatives. Ultimately, the goal was to create a platform capable of delivering measurable return on investment and supporting ongoing business growth.
What Makes a Successful Partnership?
For Martin, the answer is simple:
“Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it.”
While cost and commercial models are important, he believes they shouldn’t be the primary driver when selecting a technology partner. In his experience, focusing purely on price rarely leads to the best results.
Instead, successful partnerships depend on three key elements:
- Trust: From the first conversations, both teams committed to being transparent and honest about challenges and expectations.
- Communication: Close collaboration between teams ensures everyone understands progress, priorities and obstacles.
- Continuity: Unlike large consultancies where projects are often handed between teams, Gareth and the rest of the leadership team remain closely involved in delivery.
This approach has allowed the teams to operate as a single integrated unit, rather than two separate organisations.
The Power of Agile Delivery in Building a Partnership
A major enabler of this partnership has been an Agile delivery model. Redcentric had already begun embracing Agile development practices, but the collaboration with TrueNorth allowed them to take it much further.
The teams now work in short development sprints, releasing updates to production every two weeks. For smaller business challenges, that means a problem raised today can be solved very quickly.
This responsiveness is critical in organisations where business needs evolve rapidly. Instead of waiting months – or even years – for changes to appear in a product roadmap, Redcentric can get a response from TrueNorth within a tight deadline.
A Culture of Delivery
At the heart of the partnership is a shared philosophy that Martin summarises with a simple mantra:
“Get s**t done.”
While the phrase may sound informal, it reflects a very real cultural alignment between the two organisations. Both teams prioritise tangible progress, solving real problems for real users. That mindset has already put the teams ahead of many other organisations operating in the same space.
Looking Ahead
The collaboration between the two companies is far from over. Over the next 12 to 18 months, the teams expect to complete several major initiatives, including rebuilding elements of the wider Dynamics ecosystem and expanding system integrations.
The most important achievement may already be in place: a delivery model and partnership that can adapt and evolve alongside Redcentric’s requirements. And the platform that once seemed beyond repair is now becoming a foundation for long-term innovation.
For organisations facing similar challenges, the message is clear: sometimes the best transformation stories don’t start with a blank slate. They start by building something better together. In the words of Martin:
“Don’t just take a supplier on and beat them over the head. Take a supplier on and look to work with them.”
Watch the video here.
And if you’d like to talk to the team behind the collaboration, click here.
