Care and feeding of your vendor final
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This document provides guidance on working with vendors. It begins by defining vendors as individuals or groups that provide needed skills to help complete another group's projects. It then discusses the stages of the vendor relationship from determining a need for a vendor, to searching for and selecting a vendor, to ongoing management of the relationship. Key aspects covered include determining project needs, finding a vendor's strengths, checking references, establishing expectations, and saying goodbye respectfully when the relationship ends. The overall message is that vendors and clients should work as a team to get the most value from their partnership.
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Care and feeding of your vendor final
- 1. #heweb12 #mpd7 The Care & Feeding of Your Vendor Colleen Brennan-Barry, Fran Zablocki, Monroe Community mStoner College @zablocki @ColB
- 2. Congratulations! If you’re in this presentation, you are likely now connected to a vendor! How exciting! Image via www.retrojulie.com
- 3. But what does it all MEAN? Image via us.123rf.com
- 4. What We’re Talking About Variety & types of vendors How vendors & clients relate to each other Stages of the relationship from start to finish
- 5. What is a Vendor?
- 6. 0-Second Test: How do you define “vendor?” Image via istockphoto.com
- 7. The Dictionary Says ... “A person or agency that sells” How descriptive! Image via www.peterbennett.net/
- 8. Hmm. How about... Vendor: An individual or group providing needed skills to help complete a project for another group who doesn’t possess that skill set.
- 9. Kingdom: Vendorae Genus + Species: Superius Educationis Image via vintageprintable.swivelchairmedia.com
- 10. Your Vendor in the Wild Image via www.auctionnewsnetwork.com/
- 12. Distinguishing Characteristics Nocturnal Heavily caffeinated Multi-locational Extensive technology on person at all times Appreciative of cookies
- 13. 0-Second Test: List the types of vendors. Image via istockphoto.com
- 14. Independent freelancer Contract employee Part-time employee Full-service agency Niche agency Internal service department
- 16. Vendorus Full-Timus Image via www.kilncreekanimalcare.com
- 17. You’re (like) a vendor if you work in.... • Communications • Creative services • Web services • IT services • (Whatever) services
- 18. “But we don’t sell anything!” Image via attic.areavoices.com
- 20. Stages of a Vendor-Client Relationship Image via www.wildlifetheater.com
- 21. Determining that you need a vendor Field Research Image via NASA Goddard Photo and Video
- 22. Who needs a vendor?! Most of us, at some point.
- 23. You know you need a vendor when... You have a problem that can’t be solved by internal resources or expertise. You need more of a particular resource to accomplish something -- more writing and photography, for example. You’re too close to the problem & need a fresh look from a new perspective.
- 24. You know you need a vendor when... You need someone to say what you’ve been saying all along -- free from the politics and internal pressures. You’re told you’re going to use one -- surprise! OR....You’re brought in to an relationship with a vendor
- 26. Determine Direction Know the project parameters & goals. • Timelines • Working structure • Scope • Goals • Audience • Available vs needed resources Image via yesteryearsnew.files.wordpress.com
- 27. Find True North Be honest about your: Strengths Weaknesses Capabilities Talent gaps Personalities
- 28. Consider Your Pack Structure Do You: Use primarily internal resources? Use primarily external resources? When internal and external super-powers combine!
- 29. What is your partnership going to look like: Door #1, Door #2, or Door #3? Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 30. Assess Needed Skills & Attributes Requirements are required.
- 31. How important is it?
- 32. 0-Second Test: Where do you go to find vendors? Image via istockphoto.com
- 33. Beat the Bushes • Look for other projects you like • Google • Professional journals, publications, awards • Online message & discussion groups. • Ask. Just, ask.
- 34. Selection The Vendor in Its Natural Habitat
- 35. Meet the Pride
- 37. View the Tools Project management Production Communication
- 38. 0-Second Test: What are your go-to tools for managing projects & assets with clients & vendors? Image via istockphoto.com
- 39. 0-Second Test: Phone Email Lunch Dropbox / Google Apps Skype/ Facetime / G+ Hangout Basecamp / Asana / ActivCollab / Mavenlink Image via istockphoto.com
- 40. Check Out the Pedigree Portfolio
- 41. Tag & Serial Number Assess along your requirement rubric
- 42. Call the Exes Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 43. Choose!
- 44. Interspecies Communication Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 45. Create a Care Plan Set working parameters Develop a workplan, including scope and timeline Establish expectations
- 46. Talk It Out Status meetings Document sharing Timeline setting Project tools Image by A. Davey via Flickr
- 47. Get Down (to the Nitty Gritty) Pricing Procurement & Billing Etiquette
- 48. Bonding Together Forever (or at least a project lifespan) Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 49. Role With It.
- 50. 0-Second Test: What is the best way to get the most value from your vendor? a. Dunk them in your coffee. b. Allergy relief. c. Focus on what they’re rock stars at, and on the talents you do NOT have in-house. d. Dress them in silly hats.
- 51. Once, Twice, Thrice Important Define your primary contact for each side
- 52. We need a hero. Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 53. Symbiosis Natphotos/Digital Vision/Getty Images
- 54. One Project, Multiple Vendors Who is dependent on whom? Is everyone aware of what they need to do? Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 55. Care & Feeding Ongoing maintenance of your vendor Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 56. Evolving Expectations Checkpoints Scope Creep
- 57. Troubleshooting Stopping good relationships from going bad Image via publicdomainpictures.net
- 58. Troubleshooting
- 59. Trap & Release Ending the relationship
- 60. 0-Second Test: What’s the best way to say ‘It’s over’? a. It’s not you, it’s me. b. It’s not me, it’s you. c. We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in service. d. Thank you. Please know we’ve really enjoyed X,Y and Z. We hope we can stay in touch for possible future projects.
- 61. As you come across vendors in the wild, remember that we are all part of a greater team!
- 62. No vendors were harmed during the making of this presentation.
Editor's Notes
- Let’s introduce ourselves and talk about how we got to where we are. We should talk about the work we did together at Naz, I’ll make sure I’m positioned as a former insider.\n
- COLLEEN\n
- FRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- FRAN\n
- In our case, we’re talking about the special evolutionary process that led to Vendorae Superius Educationis. FRAN\n
- Distinguishing characteristics FRAN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- I will have coffee, an iphone, and an ipad that I will showcase to everyone as you talk through this slide. COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- Independent freelancer: Single person, operating as their own business, typically deep and narrow skillset. Comes in to complete a particular piece of a larger project. They are working on this for multiple clients at once.\nPT is self explanatory, similar to contract but semi-permanent relationship with you\nFull service - can handle multiple aspects of multiple projects\nNiche - specializes in just one area - ie athletics websites, web, specific subject or skill \nInternal - department other than you\n\nSo, lots of different structures, all of them working TOGETHER to make a project successful.\nBOTH\n\n\n\n\n
- You are probably a lot like a vendor. In a way, you ARE a vendor. \n COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- FRAN\n\nIf you’re not just doing projects for yourself, your’e a vendor.\n
- Whether you are billing or charging back -- or not -- you are essentially providing a required set of skills -- in other words, acting as a vendor -- and the departments you work with are your clients. \nFRAN\n
- So, that tells you our approach here -- there IS no enemy. Empathy. We are all in this together. There is no “i” in team. Etc. Look at working with a vendor as an opportunity, not a necessary evil.\nKumbaya.\n\nCOLLEEN\n
- Distinct Life-cycle, like within any other ecosystem\n- Mainly taking the approach of being a client searching for and working with a vendor -- but hints from both sides.\n- So how do we start?\nCOLLEEN \n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- FRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- Up front, as much as you’re able, in order to make the best match. \nCOLLEEN\n
- FRAN\n\nYou want a beneficial and complimentary relationship.\n
- FRAN\n\nHistorically\n
- FRAN\n
- FRAN\n\nYou’ve identified what you can bring to the partnership, and now its time to identify what you need the vendor to bring.\n
- FRAN\n\nReally good way to cull the large number into two or three that will help with your project.\n
- Network, network, network.\n\nCOLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- Interview, Interview, Interview\nGoes both ways\nDo not discount the value of face time\nCOLLEEN\n
- - Site Visit\n- How is work done?\n- Personality matches\n\nFRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- Reference checks\n- Do you only call the list that’s given? Ethics of “checking around?”\n\nFRAN\n
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- Getting ready to work\nFRAN\n
- The earlier, the better\nFRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- Determine Roles & Responsibilities\nBOTH\n
- The answer is always C!\nFRAN\n
- FRAN\n
- Pick your champion.\n\nCOLLEEN\n
- Remember this is a PARTNERSHIP. \nYou both need to do heavy lifting. \nTo be successful, you have to work together - - don’t take it all on, and don’t lay it all on someone else.\nCOLLEEN\n
- FRAN\nCritical path\n
- COLLEEN\n
- COLLEEN\n
- FRAN\n
- BOTH (Fran lead)\n
- COLLEEN\n
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- COLLEEN\n
- \n