Thursday, June 18, 2009

Managing Underperformance

A good portion of what I do is managing vendor relations. Between the venue, audio-visual, travel agent, entertainment, transportation, etc., the communications can sometimes be overwhelming, expecially since they need to be continuous to make sure everything is on schedule.

During the proposal stage, service providers are typically communicative, thorough and enthusiastic, flush with the prospect of new business. There are times, however, when the rapid-fire communication will wane, post contract-signing.

As a vendor who handles a variety of events for multiple clients, I understand that project timelines often overlap. My rule is that no more than 24 hours can pass without acknowledging the request and confirming it is being handled.

When vendors underperform, it’s important to remain calm and not rush to any conclusions that can lead to unnecessarily broken contracts. Most of the time, it just takes an honest conversation to reach an understanding.

1. Schedule a meeting with the primary contact, in person if possible, to review the status of the project.
2. Begin on common ground, mentioning tasks that have been completed well or you know the vendor has underway.
3. Be aware of the tone of your voice. Respectful discussions breed compromise and understanding.
4. Explain that each question or request is part of a larger context and impacts numerous tasks down the line.
5. Reset expectations. Review the current situation and outline areas or steps that need to change.
6. Ask for suggestions on how to make improvements.
7. Review written timelines and have both parties sign the document as a sign of good faith.

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1 comment:

  1. You are really on the ball Ging! Anyone would be lucky to have you in their corner for an event!

    ReplyDelete