Gartner Peer Insights is driving technology vendors to solicit reviews from enterprise customers – whether or not they want them.

The Managed Workplace Services category is an excellent case study, underlining why vendors need to focus on seeding positive reviews.

Following a torrid couple of years, customers are currently scoring DXC Technologies below the category average in several outsourcing categories – Data Center Outsourcing and Hybrid Infrastructure Managed Services, Managed Security Services, and in two of three global regions for Managed Workplace Services (in other areas, DXC is holding its own).

DXC’s recent reviews highlight why Gartner Peer Insights is so disruptive.

The new Magic Quadrant reference process pushes vendors into engaging with GPI

For years, vendors relied on providing Gartner with lists of their happiest, most motivated customers. Ideally, these customers would share glowing testimonials as to the prowess of their technology partner.

A change last year to Gartner’s methodology for Magic Quadrants shifted the process over to GPI. It was an effective move in driving review inventory for Gartner but many vendors rushed into requesting reviews without thinking the process through.

As one senior AR executive told Destrier: “GPI increases the burden for vendors to establish clear ownership and a consistent process for cultivating customer reviews. This means we need to tell our story through soliciting our customers and taking control of the process, or someone will do it for us – with greater uncertainty in the outcome”.

Scrambling to secure reviews is not a strategy

One of the biggest mistakes vendors can make is scrambling to approach customers for reviews just because an MQ is coming – since they fear the alternative: receiving lowball scores on their ability to execute (the MQ’s vertical axis).

When vendors have only a handful of ratings, these are still the customer voices that help determine a vendor’s placement in the MQ. And that’s why it’s important to have an enterprise peer reviews strategy.

Destrier enables vendors to start or improve their performance in enterprise peer reviews. If you’re staring down the barrels of a Magic Quadrant and need help in raising your reviews game, contact us today.