Vendors can have problems communicating with projectteams. Although they may need to access critical information, vendors cannot be given free rein of the system. Data still needs to be protected. Vendors may have to jump through hoops and wait long periods to fulfill their roles in a project due to an inefficient system.
Here are some ways to build a stronger relationship with your vendors.
Create Business Processes for the Management of Data
Start by creating written processes to transfer data. It should be clear which data should be kept confidential and which data should go to vendors. Document classification systems should be in place, along with authentication solutions for anyone who has access to them. Data should be encrypted and password hygiene should be followed to protect it. This should be discussed during vendor selection and onboarding.
Written business processes are the foundation for accountability. These business processes will outline the consequences for data-related issues that may arise in the future. Employees will more readily followdata management plans if they understand that that there are potentialconsequences for data breaches and data leaks.
Use a Collaboration Solution such as Slack
Slackis a collaboration platform that allows vendors and employees to communicate easily. Slack allows vendors and employees to instantmessage each other, chat in chat rooms, and use voice chat. Documents can beshared through Slack, and everything connects through a centralized,consolidated architecture.
Slack’s chat room and conferencing features allow for communication with the entire team, including vendors. Vendors and employees can also be connected. Conferences can be held with many people at once, and video chats can help to communicate better even if vendors are located in different locations.
Slack is a productivity tool that makes it easier for vendors to quickly get the information they need. It can be authenticated and secured, and data can only be shared with vendors and teams who need it. Slack can be integrated directly into thousands of solutions including vendor management solutions and project management suites. It can also be used to track bugs and manage defects. Enterprise resource planning products can also use it.
Integrating Slack into your business processes will ensure that vendors are kept informed of any project-related changes and that vendors are not kept waiting for important information. Slack offers internal options to improve document management and security. It makes it easy for vendors, employees, and project managers to communicate with each other and see when individuals are available.
Invest in a contextual security system
Contextualsecurity systems can identify potential data breaches, by recognizinginformation that should be secure. These systems can recognize financial information, social security numbers, and other personally identifiableinformation, and employees will be notified if this information is being shared with someone who may not have the right to it.
Thesetypes of security systems are becoming more popular now that confidential datais more frequently traded through instant messaging, email, and chat rooms.Employees make mistakes, and any employee could mistakenly forward confidentialinformation at some point in time. Contextual security systems protect employees from negligence and carelessness.
Audit your collaborative process and improve it
Every business-related process must be optimized regularly. To identify potential problems with your collaborative process, audit it. Did there ever seem to be a communication problem? Any delays? There may be several issues with a project, which could have caused delays that vendors could have used.