The Procurement Trap: Why Software-First is a Recipe for Failure
In the traditional Enterprise world, the "Identity Journey" follows a rigid, exhausting script: months of RFI documents, dozens of grueling vendor demos, a complex RFP process, and finally, a massive check written for a software license. Only after the ink is dry does the organization look for an implementation partner to make it all work.
For a Mid-Market or growing small-market company, this process is fundamentally broken.
You end up with a high-performance engine sitting in your driveway, but no driver. You’ve spent your entire budget on the "what" (the software) and left nothing for the "how" (the expertise). At GCA, we are seeing a massive shift in how successful organizations approach security. They are stopping the "Software-First" madness and moving to an Outcome-Based Model.
The Restaurant Paradox: Why IT Procurement is Stuck in the Kitchen
Imagine you’re planning a celebratory dinner. You choose a high-end restaurant because of its reputation for excellence. You walk in, sit down, and order the steak.
What you don’t do is ask to see the grocery receipts for the butter. You don’t stand in the kitchen with a stopwatch to see how long the chef sears the meat, and you certainly don't try to tell them which brand of oven they should be using. You are there for the outcome: a world-class meal and a seamless experience. You trust the chef’s expertise to select the best ingredients and use the best tools to deliver that result.
So, why does the Mid-Market approach Identity and Access Management differently?
Most organizations spend six months "watching the kitchen." They obsess over software demos, deep-dive into technical feature lists, and haggle over licensing bundles. They are buying the groceries before they’ve even hired the chef. The result? They end up with a bag of expensive "ingredients" (software) sitting on the counter, but no one on staff who knows how to cook the meal.
Buy the Outcome, Not the Engine
At GCA, we believe it’s time for a "Dining Experience" approach to security. Instead of starting with a software demo, start by finding a Trusted Advisor.
When you choose an outcome-based managed identity service, you are hiring the chef. You tell us the result you need:
-
"I want my employees to be onboarded in 10 minutes."
-
"I want to pass my next audit with zero findings."
-
"I want to eliminate 50% of my help desk tickets."
How we get there - the specific "backend suite" of products we use - is our responsibility, not your burden. Whether we leverage the Microsoft Entra ID features you already own or bring in specialized governance tools, we handle the technical complexity. You stop managing a tech stack and start managing a secure business.
The GCA "Black Box" Advantage: Elite Results, Zero Friction
In the traditional model, if the software breaks, you call the vendor. If the implementation fails, you call the consultant. You are stuck in the middle, trying to play referee.
With GCA’s outcome-based model, that friction disappears. We bring a curated, enterprise-grade suite of products to the table. We own the implementation, we own the configuration, and we own the ongoing management.
-
For the Small Market: You get enterprise-grade security that was previously "gated" by complex procurement.
-
For the Mid Market: You bypass the 6-month RFP cycle and move straight to ROI.
The Ultimate Growth Hack: Outsourcing the Complexity
Choosing an outcome-based managed identity service is the ultimate business growth hack. It allows you to:
-
Bypass the "Learning Curve" Tax: You don’t need to spend six months training your team on a new governance tool. GCA arrives with the expertise already in place.
-
Transfer Technical Risk: In our model, we own the technical success. We bring a curated suite of products to ensure the job gets done.
-
Move from Project to Program: One-off software installs fail. Long-term partnerships succeed. We act as your "trusted chef," constantly refining the menu as your business grows.
The Outcome-First Model
Your identity strategy should be a business accelerator, not a procurement headache. Stop getting bogged down in "grocery shopping" for software and start focusing on the results your organization needs to thrive. The real value of identity managed services is that you avoid the software procurement trap altogether. You define the result, and the right technology is selected to deliver it.
GCA is one of the most-reviewed IAM Professional Services providers, worldwide according to Gartner Peer Insights. We’ve mastered the recipe for the Fortune 500 - now, let us cook for you.
