Using vendors - how is it working for you?

Are you getting the outcomes you need from vendors
to meet your business goals and your investment?

Does your team understand how to direct and manage
vendors differently from managing employees?

Are your team's dealings with vendors collaborative
and productive, or confrontational and unbalanced?

What experience do your customers get when vendors
are your company’s point of contact?

We can help align your vendor management, ensure your team has the right skills for this, and that vendors are equipped with the appropriate knowledge and understanding of company information and procedures.

With our training and consulting, we help . . .

Clients working with vendors to get the best results and value.

Clients and vendors work together to create more effective results and outcomes for both parties.

Departments and Sourcing/Purchasing set up and maintain effective vendor relations (See article, "Who Controls Sourcing?")

Our Broad Aims

Strengthen processes and quality of work by external providers.

Assist companies create and manage effective partnering relationships with vendors.

Guide effective management, control and integration of externally-resourced projects.

Help professionals and specialists learn to set up and manage external resources.We do this by ensuring that the people managing the delivery and integration of the work have the skills and understanding to be effective.

We work with clients and vendors to enhance overall effectiveness of outsourced projects and programs. And we can plan and develop uniquely tailored training to meet client-specific business needs.

Workshops & Custom Training - click titles for details

Managing External Resources "MER" - essential skills and tools for professionals, specialists and project leaders to engage and manage vendors.

Creating Effective Partnerships Team-based workshop shows client and vendors how partnering works as an outsourcing model. Typically includes key vendor delegates.

Vendor Training Programs Training materials and media can be created to meet your business needs, then your Trainers walked through the delivery, or content deployed in your delivery mechanism.

Licensing our Materials (Under development) License and prepare your experienced trainers/facilitators to deliver MER internally.

Video-based group sessions Bring short segments of selected content and discussions into team meetings and lunch sessions using HD skype (or other) videoconferencing. Presenter is experienced and has engaging on-camera presence

Media-based Curriculum (Under development) "Managing External Resources" as a video series for DVD, online, and mobile, with PDF notes, exercises, worksheets. For individual learning, or for managers to use in weekly meetings.

Learn more about why our training works:
- Workshops Overview
- Training Methodology
- Workshop Success Factors

Consulting and coaching - vendors and 3rd parties

Outsourcing Decisions and Plans - We help you review projects and functions, assess whether to outsource, and how best to structure and manage it.

Vendor Management - Using a proven framework and experience, we help managers define requirements, then create and manage effective, productive agreements and relationships with vendors.

Partner & Customer Programs - When setting up a new program or reviewing an existing one, we assist you to look at the costs, service provided and results, then help create a program to meet your business goals.

Training the Vendors - When setting up a new program or changing an existing one, vendors typically need briefing or training in aspects of your company and services to meet your business goals. Think180 can work with your SMEs and managers to create this training for your own staff to deliver.

Individual Coaching - We work directly with individuals and teams to develop materials, solve problems, create new plans. We give feedback on their work, guidance and skill development.

Individual Coaching via video-chat - we offer a simple but highly effective coaching service, with one-hour sessions using the immediacy and ease of skype HD. This allows for building trust, and even role-playing practice.