Here's how you can effectively manage vendor relationships while staying productive.

In the KSA market, it is essential for vendor management to be closely linked to the country's regulatory environment, industry standards, and national objectives such as Vision 2030. Before entering into partnerships with vendors, companies should assess their compatibility with strategic goals such as digital transformation, and sustainability. By thoroughly evaluating business objectives and regulatory requirements, organizations can ensure that their relationships with vendors not only meet operational needs but also contribute to broader national initiatives.

Everyone makes it super complicated. 1) Treat others like you want to be treated 2) Document agreements in writing before work starts. 3) Request & offer a few reference checks if you can Note: It gets more specific by industry, but if you do the above 3, you will create a strong reputation, and be in a good spot when/if stuff needs to be renegotiated.

Without doubt, the MOST important element of any relationship is how you manage knowledge transfer and service transition. Heatmap your organisations knowledge base and identify SMEs for those areas. Then make sure that knowledge is captured through shadowing and workshops. Make sure you have a central repository of knowledge. Your vendor will most likely suggest a centre of excellence as their initial more senior staff will be with you for 6 months before moving on. Make sure you have agreement to the skill set of the people who will be joining your team and you should certainly be part of the candidate vetting process.

In a large organization, it is also worth organizing a separate process for the needs assessment, so no organizational unit will be left out. The expectations come from different organizational unit sometimes contradict each other, they must be consolidated before communicating to the vendor. RFP must contain all of the purposes, expectations, in order to get serviceable offers.

Always choose 2 vendors for a given product/service: a preferred one and a "Plan B vendor" can ensure your safety. The choice methodology can be varied: the best vendor should be the preferred one, the 2nd is the "plan B". Or, after selecting the best one, we can choose a "plan B vendor" from among the others based on a separate system of criteria. In the second method, it is worthwhile to determine the vendor criteria for plan B before the RFP. If during the selection process we see that we cannot choose a plan B vendor in addition to the preferred vendor, special terms must be defined in the vendor contract in order to ensure that our organization is not exposed to a single vendor, in the absence of a plan B vendor.

One must evaluate the prospective vendor on various criteria: 1. Of course, the quality of the product or services offered is of the topmost priority. Do some market research about the products or services offered by the same vendor. We can also get fair idea of the quality of work looking at clients list. 2. Of course, commercial aspects are critical to ensure uninterrupted services once the vendor is onboarded. 3. Also, look out for any flags raised by regulatory or statutory bodies against the vendor 4. Culture at the vendor workplace is important. It helps to build a sense of trust with the vendor.

Sélection rigoureuse des fournisseurs : Évaluez les fournisseurs potentiels en fonction de critères bien définis, tels que leur fiabilité, leur capacité à répondre à vos exigences, et leur réputation sur le marché. Évaluation des risques : Prenez en compte les risques associés à chaque fournisseur, tels que la stabilité financière, la capacité de production, et les antécédents de livraison. Choisissez des partenaires qui minimisent ces risques. Test de la collaboration : Avant de vous engager à long terme, envisagez de commencer par des commandes ou des projets pilotes pour tester la collaboration et évaluer la compatibilité entre vos deux entreprises.

In addition to assessing quality and alignment, evaluate the vendor's financial stability and capacity to scale with your needs. Consider their approach to risk management and their ability to handle unforeseen challenges. Ensure their compliance with relevant industry standards and regulations. Engage in detailed discussions about their service level agreements (SLAs) and support structures. This comprehensive evaluation helps secure a partnership with a vendor who can consistently deliver value and adapt to evolving requirements.

Thorough vendor evaluation including periodic visit & audit is required for the supplier where we look for stretegic relationship. This include evalution on technical , quality management, financial capability, reliability, compliance to applicable statutory requirement, supplier capacity & other product specific parameter. Further we can also check for carbon footprint generated during supply & their environmental effect.

While there are contractual SLA’s , I like to create as well, informal shared goals with my vendors based on both our companies business objectives. We review the progress of these during our quarterly business reviews and tweak the success plan and action logs as needed to get us there

Contrats clairs et détaillés : Mettez en place des contrats qui détaillent clairement les attentes en termes de qualité, de délais de livraison, de prix, et de conditions de service. Cela réduit les malentendus et les conflits potentiels. Objectifs de performance : Établissez des objectifs de performance clairs pour vos fournisseurs, tels que les taux de défauts, les délais de livraison, et les niveaux de service. Communiquez régulièrement sur ces objectifs pour assurer l'alignement. Communication continue : Maintenez une communication ouverte et continue avec vos fournisseurs pour discuter des attentes, des changements possibles et des améliorations potentielles.

While there are contractual SLA’s , I like to create as well, informal shared goals with my vendors based on both our companies business objectives. We review the progress of these during our quarterly business reviews and tweak the success plan and action logs as needed to get us there

Target including efficiency, effectiveness & perception need to set & communicate. Periodic review & communication will help to improve performance & help to avoid any undesirable incident.

Once the vendor is finalized give the vendor clear picture of what we are expecting and set a clear picture and standard point of view and make him clearly understand the importance of the work and no deviations in it and a clear SLA had to be done

Establish written procedures and define the criteria for monitoring vendor performances. Vendor performance can be measured using different metrics like - on time delivery - number of batches rejected or returned to the vendor - number of product complaints received which can be directly attributed to the materials or services provided by the vendor - nature of complaints reported to the vendor related to the materials pr services provided by them One point which needs emphasis is that only monitoring the vendor performance is not sufficient; it’s also very important that the organisation takes proactive measures to address any (potential) issues which might be associated with the vendor.

Évaluation régulière : Mettez en place un système de suivi et d'évaluation régulière des performances des fournisseurs. Utilisez des indicateurs clés de performance (KPI) pour mesurer leur efficacité et leur conformité aux attentes. Feedback constructif : Fournissez un feedback régulier aux fournisseurs, en soulignant à la fois les points forts et les domaines nécessitant des améliorations. Cela contribue à renforcer la relation et à améliorer les performances. Gestion des incidents : Développez un plan pour gérer les incidents ou les problèmes lorsqu'ils surviennent, en définissant des procédures de résolution rapide pour minimiser les perturbations.

Make sure all employees interacting with the vendor records their experiences continually. Have an easy system available to do this. A vendor may begin to slip causing delays and overruns. The employees working with them knows this but usually does not have authority to do much about it. Track and monitor the performance in order to take action in due time. Just having the conversation with the vendor may be enough.

Establish written procedures and define the criteria for monitoring vendor performances. Vendor performance can be measured using different metrics like - on time delivery

O monitoramento consistente do desempenho do fornecedor é essencial para manter a produtividade e alinhar os objetivos de negócios. A definição de indicadores-chave de desempenho (KPIs) claros e acordados por todas as partes fortalece o relacionamento, pois incentiva a transparência e o comprometimento mútuo. Estudos mostram que empresas que padronizam as fontes de dados e os métodos de cálculo dos KPIs veem melhorias significativas na entrega e qualidade dos fornecedores.

Rencontres régulières : Organisez des réunions régulières avec vos fournisseurs pour discuter de l’état de la collaboration, des nouvelles opportunités, et des éventuelles préoccupations. Cela renforce la transparence et la confiance. Partenariat à long terme : Encouragez des partenariats à long terme en offrant des incitations pour les fournisseurs qui répondent ou dépassent vos attentes, comme des volumes de commandes accrus ou des accords prolongés. Valorisation des efforts : Reconnaissez et récompensez les fournisseurs qui font preuve d'initiative et qui contribuent à l'amélioration continue de vos processus ou de la qualité des produits.

There are some points that I always remember while partnering with vendors. Address conflicts promptly: Resolve issues quickly and fairly to prevent resentment and damage to the relationship. Celebrate milestones, Mark important events and achievements to show value and respect. Conduct regular evaluations: Assess vendor performance, provide constructive feedback, and set goals for improvement. Lead with empathy and understanding: Treat vendors as partners, not just suppliers, and demonstrate genuine interest in their success.

Manter um bom relacionamento, permite verificar se a fornecedor esta de acordo com as normas técnicas, legais e fiscais, entre outras avaliações publicas.

This is the most crucial and critical point in vendor management if we don't have this thing with the vendors then how much we try our service or delivery level will not be good so for the company to grow we should meet with the vendors frequently and should be ready to listen his problems and give then a solution and also If possible do a RNR of the vendors who do the best so others also be motivated

Relationships are like bank accounts (as Stephen Covey's RBA concept suggests); the more you invest and deposit into them, the more value you can withdraw when needed. Every successful relationship is built on a combination of: 1. Respect: Valuing and honoring each other's thoughts, feelings, and boundaries. 2. Emotional Understanding: Empathizing and connecting with each other's emotions and needs. 3. Shared Values: Aligning on core principles and beliefs that guide your interactions. 4. Mutual Support: Helping and uplifting each other through life's challenges and celebrating each other's successes. These ingredients foster trust, communication, and a deep connection, allowing relationships to flourish and grow.

Select a vendor system that not only risk rates the vendors but tracks performance and costs. You may find that the vendor is within the risk boundaries but not performing as contractually agreed. Some systems do one part well but not the other. Consider using two different systems to track compliance and business requirements.

Managing vendor relationships while staying productive requires a combination of effective communication, organization, and boundary-setting. 1. Clearly define your needs, goals, and timelines to ensure vendors understand your requirements. 2. Regularly schedule check-ins and encourage transparency 3. Use tools like spreadsheets or CRM software to track vendor details, interactions, and performance. 4. Focus on high-priority tasks and delegate or defer less important ones. 5. Use technology to automate tasks 6. Build trust and rapport with vendors 7. Monitor performance 8. Document agreements 9. Set boundaries 10.Continuously evaluate and improve