There are many factors evolved in the purchase of IT assets and services such as increasingly complex license agreements, different purchasing options and plans, maintenance agreements, usage agreements, distribution methods, services. The list goes on. Vendor management has become an important aspect of IT asset management. What is vendor management? How does one manage vendors?
As Cristopher Carfi of The Social Customer Manifesto stated in VMA Scenarios, vendor management is "a potentially expansive, and extremely undefined, area." Thank you Christopher. Christopher asks two questions:
"Who controls the interactions between vendor and customer?"
"Are the interactions focused on transactions or relationships?"
He then presents a picture aid depicting four scenarios to consider, then discusses each scenario. He clearly warns that the exercise is for planning purposes, not predictive purposes. This can be a useful tool when planning purchases. Christopher is inviting comments to his thoughts on VMR.
A strategic approach, essential for IT purchases, is illustrated by Pat Speer in Making the Marriage Work.
"Best intentions by vendors or carriers often become the source of the greatest heartaches. But for many carriers, building successful relationships with suppliers is a matter of following a systematic approach-from strategic to tactical-and one that demands due diligence." Due diligence is a collaborative team effort within the company done before an IT purchase is made, to determine exactly what is needed.
Meridith Levinson reports on a collaborative approach to vendor management to solve a problem. The ROI of Nice.
Different circumstances call for different approaches.
