Obileye on selecting the right vendor for your facility

Whatever the size of a company and line of business undertaken by such company, selecting a vendor can be challenging due to a variety of reasons. This can be managed by facility managers in a way that produces good result.

The question to ask is how do you select who will be the best fit for an organization’s needs? In answering this question, the process for selection should solely be about who will add value to the organization, bringing success in the area being enhanced.

It is certainly tough going through the process of replacing an existing vendor but one that becomes necessary as the situation demands

The first point to note by facility managers is to be frank and realistic about what is vital to selecting a new vendor. Factors such as cost, available resources, size and nature of the business must be considered when the selection process is initiated.

Having been trained in these situations can be advantageous for both parties. Typically, most vendors will be able to do the job being asked of them, but the following questions need to be answered affirmatively before the final decision is taken – can the two parties work together?

Can both be in sync with instructions, tasks, project timelines, meeting times and effective communication on both ends? As a potential partnership, it should be treated that way from start to finish.

If a prospective vendor cannot or will not fit into the culture and value system of the organization, clearly any arrangement is never going to work no matter how much effort is put into it. Within the partnership, there must understanding at every level to produce acceptable quality of work that helps each side.

The task of selecting a vendor through whatever laid down process is the starting point and the real work begins when that has been completed. This has been proven time after time. To succeed, the facility manager and vendor must trust each other to fulfil their respective obligations with minimum fuss. However, it is advisable to have a written agreement of terms and conditions to ensure both parties understand their roles in the arrangement.