How to Properly Evaluate Your Vendor Management Solutions Provider

Posted On: October 18, 2017

When you’re looking for vendor management solutions providers, how do you determine who is best able to work with your organization? The good news is there’s a science to the process. You can use a set of criteria to evaluate your VMS provider and make the right decision for your company. But keep in mind as you read these methods of evaluation that price shouldn’t be the primary indicator. Here are the things you should focus on instead.

• Create performance indicators.

  Like you do with new candidates, you need to evaluate your VMS providers with the same criteria. Establish a checklist of necessary qualities and contributions. To get you started, begin with evaluating their quality management system. They should have this in place to offer to all of their customers, and without it, there may be concerns about service.

• Assign the person in charge.

  It’s also helpful to have just one person in your organization who is the key contact for your VMS provider. Why? This helps you avoid the pitfalls of sending multiple, often contradictory, messages which can only muddy the waters. When you have an assigned contact for any processes involving your provider, you can clarify details faster.

• Evaluate communication style.

  It is also helpful to better understand their communication style and how it fits with yours. Do you like a hands-off approach where the provider is responsible for handling the project and checking in at the end? Or would you rather have constant updates along the way? Do you like in-person contact or is the phone or email preferred? What does the provider do as a matter of course?

• Look for red flags.

  In general, it’s better to maintain relationships with your VMS providers so you don’t have a revolving door, but there may be times when adjustments are necessary. Hopefully, with the right processes in place, you can avoid overwhelming red flags that will cause you to terminate your relationship. However, that doesn’t mean you should turn a blind eye to them when they happen and hope they go away. When you see something that concerns you, talk about it immediately. If it is unresolved, consider other solutions.

About Anserteam Workforce Solutions

The ANSER to your North American workforce management needs starts with A-Team solutions. Anserteam is the alliance of North American staffing and employment resources. Since 2004, Anserteam has grown to service over 1,500 locations across the United States and Canada. Are you a best-in-class staffing firm looking to increase your client base and secure a greater market share?  Find out how to become part of Anserteam.