A great way to kick of a project is to bring all the interested stakeholders together at a high level to eat and drink. I think that champagne is best avoided until you have something to celebrate, so a Breakfast is best.
Our clients MD, the Founder of Bullhorn, the MD of Saber Analytics and us met near Euston station for bacon rolls, danishes and coffee one Thursday morning in August.
The discussion was lively and recruitment is a truly small world, issues are the same everywhere and getting return from your investment is always the goal. Project objectives were agreed, timetables explained and business goals understood. Everyone looked each other in the eye and explained that they would do everything they could to make this project a success that we can be proud of.
I have always found that you need to get beyond the sales chat and get to the leaders in all your providers organisation. I remember sitting in with the MD of Safe Tempest in my Milton Keynes reception finishing the details of the Tempest contract. That contact has been really important ever since, I have twice implemented Tempest since and the MD has always taken my calls.
If you aim to work in partnership with your suppliers, spend the time getting to know them early not when something has gone wrong!
