Mistakes CIOs make when managing vendors

When all the pieces are in place, in your IT office, you think it should be smooth sailing. Unfortunately, even when everything is where it should be, it does not always work the way it should.

One of the biggest issues is how CIOs manage their vendors to get the best performance, stay on budget and get a project done on time.

"A very typical issue that we see is managing these relationships by committee," James Harvey, partner and co-chair of the Global Technology, Outsourcing & Privacy Group at law firm Hunton & Williams LLP, told CIOinsight.com. "Which means no one is held accountable, communication breaks down and suppliers don't get good direction."

Here are some tips for handling vendors, to make sure your operation runs smoothly and efficiently.

• Speak with one voice and make sure the answer comes from one point of contact with the vendor, to avoid confusion.
• Write the requirements and tasks down so everyone knows what you are referring to.

For more on dealing with vendors:
- check out this CIOinsight.com article

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