Securing and finding the right supplier is crucial for procuring and sourcing strategies and maintaining the relationship. But, one of the most important aspects of this relationship that is frequently ignored and not given sufficient consideration is contract management.
Contact management is not just concerned with writing or signing agreements. This aspect is crucial, but there are many other aspects to consider. An effective and efficient relationship with a supplier requires planning and a lot of thought during the contract’s writing and signing and constant monitoring throughout the life that the contract is in force. When a business has many contracts to manage – often hundreds of them- inefficiencies are quickly accumulated. Therefore, it is essential to allocate the time and resources needed for this particular area of business. Besides, adopting a contract management software can help the business by increasing efficiency and automating the creation and negotiation, and approval process.
Here are some tips for efficient contract management:
Review Your Current Process and Set Goals
There’s a reason you’re thinking about improving your contract management system. There’s something that’s not working as it should. The first step in improving the effectiveness of your program is to examine the current program. Write it down in detail to determine the things that are working and what’s not. This will provide you with insight into how you can and should improve your process.
Once you’ve got all the facts, it’s time to establish precise and achievable objectives. Perhaps you’re looking to make cost reductions, decrease risk, or improve transparency. The reason you’re looking to alter your current system and the goals you wish to achieve are essential steps to consider before you can successfully revamp your contract management system.
Utilize templates
The contract creation process takes an incredibly long time, even for those who write the same type of contract time and again. While the same contract may be frequently used, it is best to start by copying a small portion and then completes the procedure by reading the contract each time to ensure that nothing is changed.
This means that the quality assurance process is completed before signing any contracts or hiring new staff, even if the contract was read and proofread only once. It is unnecessarily lengthy.
Communicate
Monitor your partner’s progress, find out the source of any problems, and whether the vendor meets your needs. It’s easier to identify and resolve misunderstandings and other issues early on. Make sure that your partner is aware of any issues or changes that you’re experiencing and anything else that could aid them in meeting your requirements. It’s a risk to believe that everything is running smoothly just because you’ve never been told otherwise.
Keep all your contacts in one place
Many contracts in firms are no longer in existence. In reality, around 10 percent of the contracts within a company have disappeared completely. The reason for this is quite simple that contracts are scattered across the entire organization. Some are stored in a physical binder, and some are stored in cloud storage; a few are in the inbox of emails. This can make it difficult to remember the location where the particular contract is kept.
Because contracts are frequently instruments to ensure a positive relationship between two parties, the implications of losing a contract could be devastating to the business. Thus, businesses need an efficient method for the storage and archive of their contracts. There are numerous options if the contracts are in one location.
Create a contract calendar that includes automated reminders or alerts
Nowadays, many businesses suffer lots of problems due to a lack of understanding in their agreements. It is the same for companies that are of any size. The most important thing is to read through each contract to keep track of the rights and obligations associated with every contract.
The reason for the lack of an overview is the fact stated above, and the contracts are scattered across the organization. Another reason is that it’s virtually impossible to create this kind of overview without digital methods. This is that physical binders within physical archives are not a satisfactory solution.
Build a Plan to Review Your Process Continuously
Your business will grow at a rapid pace. It needs to be able to stay ahead of the competition and establish its position in the market. What is working in the current contract management could become outdated and unproductive soon. Delegate someone with the responsibility to evaluate the process on a monthly, quarterly, or annually. Remark on the accomplishments you’ve had, discuss any new risks or challenges that have come up, and make adjustments to the contract management as required to continue working towards your goals.
Final words
Contracts shouldn’t be viewed as documents that only begin the projector to look over if issues arise. They must be kept and revised throughout the project to meet the requirements of changing participants or conditions to ensure the project is always on track. If you adhere to these guidelines, the project will be off to the right track. Everyone will be united and work toward a shared goal, so the project is more likely to succeed.
