To gain deeper insights into the evolution of our collaboration, we spoke with Sef Abbasey, VP Strategy, US & Canada at Mercer. Since 2019, our partnership has been built on a foundation of trust, complementary expertise, and a shared vision for delivering value to our clients.
When did this collaboration begin?
Our initial collaboration began back in 2019 when Mercer won the contract to consolidate the HR/WFM systems for the Sprint and T-Mobile merger. At that time, our Sales Leader was introduced to George Denninghoff who helped us win this business.
How and why did our partnership initially come about?
The Sprint/T-Mobile merger involved not only Workday, but a heavy footprint of UKG’s WFM product. Mercer did not have any capabilities in that space and we needed to find a strong partner to complete the full scope of work.
How do you envision the future of our collaboration, and what opportunities do you foresee?
I envision our collaboration evolving into a strategic partnership where we leverage each other’s strengths to drive innovation and deliver exceptional value to our clients. By combining our expertise, we can explore opportunities in areas such as joint sales pursuits, shared resources for larger projects, and co-marketing initiatives. Additionally, we can enhance our service offerings by integrating complementary services, ultimately leading to improved client satisfaction and expanded market reach.
If you could describe our partnership in three words, what would they be, and why?
Transparent – Transparency is essential in a corporate partnership as it builds trust and enhances collaboration between the companies. It facilitates problem-solving and encourages accountability, allowing both parties to address challenges effectively. By promoting open communication, transparency improves decision-making and aligns objectives, ultimately leading to stronger relationships and long-term success. Transparency is the foundation of the Mercer/Simms relationship.
Complimentary – This signifies that the strengths and offerings of both of our companies enhance and support one another. This mutual enhancement leads to a more robust and effective collaboration, allowing both organizations to leverage their unique capabilities for greater overall success. By being complimentary, our companies can fill gaps in each other’s services, creating a more comprehensive solution for clients and fostering innovation. Ultimately, this synergy can lead to increased competitiveness and market reach for both partners.
Collaborative – A collaborative approach fosters open communication, idea sharing, and joint problem-solving, which can lead to more effective solutions and improved outcomes. Ultimately, this teamwork cultivates a strong relationship that drives mutual success and growth. We’ve found that both orgs have a lot in common – shared goals, shared values and, coincidently, shared personalities. When you like the people you work with and share the same professional goals, it makes working together a whole lot better!
