Working in the public sector is significantly different from working in the private sector. This is particularly true when it comes to CIOs and other high-ranking IT staff. In this ITSMA Viewpoint, Claire Hamon, Director, Business Information Systems, Crown Prosecution Service, U.K., and formerly of private banking company Llyods TSB, outlines the major differences that technology providers must be aware of if they plan to effectively penetrate the public sector.

In particular, Hamon highlights five key differences. Relative to private sector customers, buyers in the public sector have:

• Lower financial awareness
• Inconsistent program and project management discipline
• A higher percentage of generalists rather than specialists
• A longer organizational memory
• A greater sense of tradition and moral motivation

Further, Hamon provides valuable insight on what technology providers can do to win business in the public sector, including:

• Building a strategic partnership with the customer
• Bringing core competence and expertise in a specialized field
• Becoming part of the customer’s team
• Increasing the customer’s efficiency and effectiveness
• Bringing innovation and creativity to the table