Technical Support’s Post

Tuesday Story 50 As my previous story on vendors was very exciting for my followers, here is a story on how to succeed with your vendor? We all know glorious posts on LinkedIn are not always helpful in solving real life problems. Change of vendor comes with many challenges and here are my ways of resolving those specifically from Operations point of view this week. 1. If not already done, set up an SLA for your issues. Practice SLA adherence on a daily basis through your scrum calls. Basically you work everyday to make sure your team knows to prioritise tickets based on urgency and SLA together. 2. Weekly or Monthly connect with MBR and senior management should reflect all the work done and improvements and action items on a regular basis. 3. Making a critical decision when to escalate and change the dynamics in a team comes from experience and data points obtained from the first two steps. Get help, ask people within your organisation for the right answers and if you are the one to make the decision then I leave it to your own style of working! But at the end of the day the right choices should be made at the right time to succeed with your vendor. Please share your comments on your experiences or steps taken to succeed with Vendor Management. #vendormanagement #succeedwithvendor

Vendor Wrangling: When and How to Escalate Effectively Vendors – a necessary part of business, but sometimes a source of frustration. While I enjoy strong relationships with most of my vendors, even with the best partners, challenges inevitably arise. Knowing when and how to escalate issues professionally is a vital skill for anyone involved in vendor management. When to Escalate Here are common red flags that indicate escalation may be necessary: Unresponsive Contact: Your main point of contact (POC) ignores emails, misses deadlines, or consistently fails to deliver timely communication. Delivery Discrepancies: The product or service doesn't align with what was ordered – whether in terms of quality, quantity, or specifications. Extraordinary Requests: You need to change the scope of the engagement, adjust deadlines significantly, or request something outside the usual process. Preparation is Key Establish Escalation Contacts: During vendor onboarding, designate both a primary POC and someone to contact when escalation is needed. Precise Documentation: When placing orders, meticulously detail your requirements, desired delivery methods, and timelines. Escalation Best Practices Professionalism and Objectivity: Keep communications formal, concise, and focused on the facts, avoiding emotional language. Be Specific: Concisely describe the issue and the desired resolution timeline. Attach relevant documentation rather than embedding it in the body of an email. Explain the Urgency: Clearly articulate why the issue's resolution is time-sensitive. Phone Backup: When email fails to get results, a phone call with a calm, professional tone can work wonders. Remember: It's a Partnership! Vendors want to resolve issues efficiently so they can get paid and maintain good relationships. Collaborate with them to understand what a streamlined solution would look like for both parties. Additional Tips: Document Interactions: Keep records of all communication, including dates, times, and summaries. This creates a crucial paper trail. Internal Communication: You’re likely escalating to avoid a potential problem.  Let your internal stakeholders know what potential risks you see, and what you are doing to correct. #CPG #SmallBusiness #SmallBusinessTips #EOS #VendorManagement #OutsourcedManufacturing 

I agree with the insight. The crucial success factor for me is the client vendor relationship that is beyond transactional.With this one puzzle solved, everything falls in place - custom solutions that are customer centric, achieving contractual scope commitments that are mutually optimal for all parties and of course, supporting each other when things tend to deviate.

In today's fast-paced tech world, IT vendor management is more important than ever. Effective vendor management helps organizations build strong relationships, reduce costs, and ensure high-quality service delivery. Let's dive into how mastering this practice can give your business a competitive edge. #ITVendorManagement #TechStrategy #BusinessGrowth

In today's fast-paced tech world, IT vendor management is more important than ever. Effective vendor management helps organizations build strong relationships, reduce costs, and ensure high-quality service delivery. Let's dive into how mastering this practice can give your business a competitive edge. #ITVendorManagement #TechStrategy #BusinessGrowth

It started with “Hello” and went down from there.   Several years ago, I was asked to lead a contracting effort to outsource application development to a 3rd party - I was assured that everything was agreed upon and that this was easy.   Clearly that should be been my first clue.   I walked into the room where everyone knew each other as the internal team and the vendor’s team had been working on defining the project for a while. People were in good spirits and joking with each other.   I introduced myself and immediately felt the mode of the room change. People where not sure why I was there or what value I was going to add.   We did a round of introductions and three people on the vendor’s side introduced themselves as the “lead”. On our side we had a project leader, a technical leader and a functional leader each who considered themselves the definitive voice.    I suggested we start with the “agreed upon” scope and immediately realized that everyone was working off a different set of documents.   Our PM had the project approval paperwork that called out what had to be accomplished to meet the business case. Our technical lead had the technical specs that had to be adhered to for future development but no security or privacy considerations. Our functional team had their “needs” list.   The vendor had multiple different documents as well.   Thus began a multi month exercise to align the various documents into one with an agreed upon scope, fully documented assumptions and role sorts.   The project started later than either side wanted and it cost more than either side had originally expected.   While some might have considered this a failure - I saw it, and continue to see it, as one of the best efforts I ever worked on.   Why? Because the project was delivered meeting the functional, technical and financial specifications with minimal change orders. And the team continue to work together on future projects effectively and efficiently.   I would love to hear about your experiences.     #contracts #negotiations #vendormanagement #technology #software #cios     👋 I’m Colleen. ➡️ I help senior leaders and their teams better manage the risks associated with engaging technology related vendors Want to see more posts from me? 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile ✅ Connect with me

When speaking with current and potential clients we can see there's a shift that requires understanding and solving broader business issues. The change in hiring requirements will continue to as MSP's prioritize problem solving and customer service orientation over technical know-how when recruiting and growing the business.

“We don’t have time to evaluate new vendors.” I recently heard this from a client approaching their renewal with their current vendor. Despite dissatisfaction with their existing solution, their busy schedule made it easier to stick with what they know. For small businesses, this challenge is all too common. With so many hats to wear, finding time to explore new options can be tough. When your IT setup isn’t aligned with your business needs, inefficiencies can build up leading to reduced productivity and missed growth opportunities. Feeling stuck juggling daily tasks while exploring new solutions? Consider these steps: ▪ Get help from IT experts who can guide you through options without taking up too much of your time. ▪ Identify specific problems with your current setup and look for solutions that address these issues directly. ▪ Plan ahead and conduct regular reviews of your current solutions to avoid last-minute rushes and stay aware of your options. Addressing these points proactively can help maintain smooth operations and uncover new opportunities for your business. #digitaltransformation #Smallbusinesses #Operationalexcellence #Businessgrowth #Techsolutions #Valuefoc #ITconsulting

How would we exit Amazon Web Services (AWS) if they  were to experience a material outage? Granted, AWS like any cloud provider, is not full proof and can experience significant issues. You just need to ask Webex, Splunk, Amazon itself, Netflix, Slack, Ring just to name a few. But, when such situation occurs, it is about recovery, not exit. Yet, I have heard this comment more times than I can count over the years.   With Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) in the EU closing in and more regulators across the world looking at strengthening the operational resilience of the financial services sector, establishing sound recovery strategy and exit planning has become critical in developing resilient financial firms. But I believe many organisations need to become clearer with how to build effective recovery strategy and exit framework.    🔍 This article provides an “How To” guide for the development of an exit strategy. Highlights from the Guide: • Understanding Regulatory Context: Learn about the mandates from bodies like the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), and how DORA is shaping the need for robust exit strategies. • Operational Resilience for Financial Entities: Discover why not just the vendors but a broad spectrum of entities within the financial ecosystem must gear up for enhanced operational resilience to avoid systemic risks. • Triggers for an Exit: Identifying the "when" alongside the "how" is crucial. We explore potential triggers for exiting a vendor relationship, ranging from performance issues to regulatory non-compliance and beyond. • A Step-by-Step Exit Strategy: From defining objectives and conducting risk assessments to developing detailed communication plans and implementing governance oversight, we outline a comprehensive process to safeguard your interests. 💡 Key Takeaway: Operational resilience is not just about recovery; it's about foreseeing challenges and having a strategic exit plan in place. This ensures minimal disruption to services, safeguards stakeholder interests, and upholds the integrity of the financial system. Read full article here: https://lnkd.in/e7gpGkTY 📈 As we navigate these challenges, remember, proactive planning and strategic foresight are your best defences against the unpredictability of third-party vendor relationships. 👥 Let’s Discuss: How is your organisation preparing for these challenges? Have you encountered any of the triggers mentioned, and how did you navigate the situation? For a deeper dive into developing effective recovery strategies and exit frameworks for critical third-party vendors, connect with us at Aevitium. #risk #operationalresilience #riskmanagement #risks #riskintelligence #oversight #chiefriskofficer #operationalrisk #riskleadership #VendorManagement #FinancialServices #DORA #FCA #PRA #BusinessContinuity #aevitium

“Good, you have heard about me - that will make this much easier”.   I was asked to join a meeting that was already underway. Members of my company where meeting with a large technology provider to discuss a really complicated business issue and ways to solve it. The meeting had been underway for an hour or so when someone thought that perhaps I should have been included to begin to consider what the contractual relationship might look like and highlight risks.   I walk in and everyone stands but one person. Introductions are made and when I get to the person who did not stand, he says to me “oh you’re that Colleen Mahoney” and I responded “Oh good, you have heard about me - that will make this much easier”.   It turns out this gentleman was on a different project at a different company where I was asked to come in and lead the contractual team. There were too many risks for either company to move forward so the project did not happen. And he remembered me as the reason it did not go forward.   All this to say, what happens in one company doesn’t say there. People talk.   How you conduct yourself matters.    Treat everyone with respect and expect the same from them.   Be willing to call out risks and problems when you see them and know that others may hold that against you. That is ok.   In this case I did the right thing for both my company and the vendor (the project would have been a complete disaster for both sides).         #contracts #negotiations #vendormanagement #technology #software #cios     👋 I’m Colleen. ➡️ I help senior leaders and their teams better manage the risks associated with engaging technology related vendors Want to see more posts from me? 🔔 Ring the bell on my profile ✅ Connect with me