Seattle Publishing

As vendor specialization continues to evolve, many of our projects rely on the ability to share ideas and information with other vendors or departments. With  more complexity, it is common for SP to be one of many vendors tasked with the project’s completion. From our experience, here are the top five suggestion to consider when working with other vendors.

The Client is Always Number One
Sounds simple, but sometimes it is easy to forget that the client should be put first, and they should be the beneficiary of any collaborative effort. More often than not, vendors are more focused on the project’s task and may overlook or ignore the client’s questions or concerns.

Clearly Defined Roles
Just like having a plan is essential, making sure other vendors understand their role and contribution will help to smooth out any turbulence. Most trouble occurs when the roles aren’t clearly defined and the vendors are trying to go beyond their initial role, causing friction that could send the project sideways instead of forward, which can delay implementation and potentially increase the cost. Having clearly defined roles help  ensure a reduction of potential conflicts and keep everyone on task.

Play to Strengths Not Weaknesses
Any vendor strategy should always play to what they are good at doing. As competition has increased and markets have grown smaller, many vendors have looked to expand their skill set, but having the skill is different than leveraging a strength. For example, SP works with many enterprise systems to create websites or provide content connection with the Gutenberg Publishing System, but we are not an enterprise system developer. By knowing our strengths, we are able to work with one of our client’s vendors, NetSuite, who have the technology and experience to work with enterprise systems that allows SP to focus on our client’s content.

 Seek Common Ground
An Oglala Sioux Indian Chief once said, “Don’t judge a man before walking a mile in his moccasins.” The same can be said about other vendors since it is human nature to look out for your own interests. Methods and approaches can vary, and when problems arise, it is best to seek an understanding from which a purposeful dialogue leads to the common goal of discovering a solution.

Diplomacy Rules
When conflicts arise it is important to remember that you attract more bees with honey than vinegar. When taking the higher ground it is important to review your role and to listen to the others’ concerns. By taking this approach, you create an ally instead of an adversary and though it isn’t the easiest route, the final outcomes tend to be positive while continuing to develop a relationship with the clients’ vendors.