Managing And Working With Vendors For A Great Project Result

Vendors can be an invaluable resource for any project manager. Hiring a vendor you already have a good working relationship with allows you to start a job with confidence. Working with a reliable vendor, establishing ground rules at the beginning of a project, and having good communication throughout the process, will produce a positive end result. Of course, there are always unexpected circumstances, but both manager and vendor should know to 'expect the unexpected'. A good vendor can provide alternative solutions. A good manager can facilitate the project to completion. In the end, everyone will do what's necessary to get the job done, on time, and correctly. The result is a happy client.

Managing Vendor Relationships

You've just been handed a new project. You review it and decide to contact a vendor for assistance. You research your vendor list, find the top three vendors best suited for the project and send them the project scope with some notes and a request their best estimate. Having possibly already worked with some of these companies, you may know the way some of them work and be able to factor that in with the cost to make your final decision. While one vendor may be slightly more costly, they may be easier to work with. The saying "You get what you pay for" is absolutely true.

The vendor you choose should not only be qualified to do the job, but also be someone you are comfortable working with. A good working relationship is key to the project successfully completing on time. A vendor relies on the person who has hired them to provide project details as well as to communicate updates and client expectations. They rely on you as much as you rely on them. If the job runs long because details were not communicated properly to the vendor, this not only causes a delay in your own project, it also causes a delay on the side of the vendor's timeline for other projects. Managing vendor relationships means building vendor relationships. Your relationship with your vendor is so important. If you treat the vendor with disregard, they may treat your project the same way.

Entering A New Vendor Relationship

If you are starting a new vendor relationship, you've checked referrals and familiarized yourself with their company and work. Remember to communicate and always have each stage and change of the project agreed upon and signed-off on. Doing this ensures an expected result which builds trust. As this new relationship is built, you will be better able to determine if you would choose to call on them for a new project as well as recommend them to others.

Keeping Good Records

To do business with vendors more efficiently and effectively, keep good records on the vendors you hire and the projects they've worked on with you. This seems obvious, but some people don't do this. Not doing this leaves the door open for questions and confusion later. These days, hard copy records are harder to come by because everything is digital, but online records are not always kept inan accessible place. Perhaps people think they can remember everything, or maybe they have an expectation that someone else will remember. In any case, important details can and do get missed. The only sure way to know that the details of a project will be completed properly is for them to be documented. For a vendor project, be sure that all documentation is signed off on by all involved. Skipping this small step can cause projects to get redone and cost clients money.

Problems Can Occur With Vendor Relationships

Be ready to handle any upset that comes along during a vendor project. Some people think once they hire a vendor, they've done their part until the project is completed. That might be the case if they aren't concerned about how the project turns out, if it gets done on time, or gets completed at all. To avoid incidents like a vendor not completing a project on time, requesting more money, or failing to deliver the job at all, you've got to stay on top of things, communicate constantly with your vendor, and have other vendors you can call on as backup if need be.

Inheriting Vendor Relationships

This can be a sticky situation, but If you've been given a specific vendor to work with, familiarize yourself with their company. Do some research by reviewing their previous work and check referrals if possible. This will allow you to feel more comfortable during your initial discussion, and give you the opportunity to evaluate their potential as a vendor for your client. You should also look for other vendor matches as backup in case the project falls into the 'unexpected problems' area.

Contact Ronnie at ronnie@praxisagency.com.