Whether your managing an outsourced IT function, call center, supply chain, marketing agency, or any other 3rd party firm, you’ve probably learned two things: a) managing vendors is a significant challenge and b) your vendors’ performance and capabilities can make or break your company.

• If you want a project manager, you hire a PMP.
• If you want an accountant, you hire a CPA.
• If you want a vendor manager, you hire a…?

While there are a variety of organizations that offer “Certifications” in closely associated areas, these organizations are more focused on promoting outsourcing, providing sales leads to vendors, billing hundreds of thousands of dollars for certifications, or selling incredibly expensive consulting services.  Surely, there’s a need for these things, but 360° Vendor Management is focused on giving you strategic and tactical skills and tools that will make a difference immediately, whenever you need it.  These are tools you can use in business process outsourcing, IT outsourcing, or any other vendor relationship you manage.

The community here is primarily focused on buyers trying to get the most out of their vendor relationships, without taking an all-or-nothing approach.  Balance and alignment of goals is absolutely necessary for effective vendor management relationships.  The problem is that many buyers fail to consistently implement key processes that keep both parties focused on delivering results.  Inconsistent vendor management processes or vendor management processes that take a winner-takes-all perspective are destructive to the relationship, and will result in poor performance, failure to invest, and possibly an expensive transition of services to a new vendor.

360° Vendor Management seeks to strike a balance through rigorous execution of vendor management processes acting within a strategic framework.  Feel free to read through our articles and let us know if you have any questions!