Vendor Management: Scope and Process
A strong vendor-client relationship benefits both parties, and the first step to establishing the best possible relationship with a vendor is found in the Statement of Work (SOW). The SOW maps the path to the outcome desired by the client – and, as on any journey, a high-quality map can help ensure that path is as smooth as possible. Below are a few tips and suggestions from our teams that will help you start your next journey off on the right foot.
Strive to make the Statement of Work (SOW) clear and complete.
- Include all project requirements in the SOW.
- Proactively identify the top project risks and seek to mitigate in advance.
- Examples of what you’re looking for can be extremely useful.
Be explicit in your expectations for the vendor.
- Do you want a review of the entire document, or just the new content?
- Do you want the reviewer to update the flow of a slide deck, or just make slide-level edits?
- Do you want a full content review, or just help making the formatting consistent?
- Use comments, tracked changes, and other tools to make your review expectations clear.
Remember that requirements can sometimes change.
- Create key performance indicators (KPIs) and regularly review them.
- If changes in timing or scope arise, discuss and clarify them with the entire project team.
- Understand which new requests are within the scope of the SOW and which are not.
- Escalate requests outside the scope of the SOW.
A win for your vendor is a win for you.
- Focus on quality and timely execution of all deliverables.
- Significant last-minute requirement changes can affect deliverable quality, as well as the project timeline and budget.
- Be fair with pricing expectations. You often get what you pay for.
- Remember that client and vendor interests are not always aligned, but that does not mean that the relationship cannot be mutually beneficial.
Setting a clear goal and communicating clearly at the start of any project removes guesswork and confusion, helping your vendor focus on producing high-quality deliverables within agreed-upon timelines and within the established budget.
Ready to start your next project? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help: 877-477-0977 or https://medcommunications.com/contact-us.
