22 TOPDESK MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 2015

Andr Kevenaar
is a consultant at TOPdesk and focuses on linking TOPdesk
to the processes of Contracts and Procurement departments
during shared service management implementations.

Max Veenhof
is a consultant at TOPdesk and specializes in chain
integration for Facilities, IT, HR and Procurement departments.

SIGN AND READY?

ACTIVE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
Two signatures and a handshake. You can quickly make a contract with
a new supplier and file away the agreement. And then? In this article we
will show you how to maintain an overview of your contracts.

Outsourcing with a reason

contract are often kept by contract managers,

evaluation and all related activities. In the

When you choose to outsource a current

either digitally or in a paper archive. Whereas

Change Management module the activities

product or service to an external supplier, you

the service level managers want only the

can be individually planned per phase for each

want to maintain at least the same quality

most important appointments from current

contract, assuming a set of standard activities

you are used to, or improve it. Even if this is

contracts to be available, like supply levels and

have been recorded in a template.

a product or service you had not recorded

corresponding lead times. They can use these

in your service catalogue. When several of

agreements for communication with the end

1. Initiation phase

your organizations products or services are

customer and for managing suppliers.

The activities in the initiation phase can

provided by an external party it is certainly

When a contract needs to be renewed, there

be placed in the request phase of a change

a lot of work to check whether the delivered

is often a shared need for information from

in TOPdesk. The initiation phase is usually

quality adheres to your agreements. An

the service level manager and the contract

started as a result of a contract that is about

overview of all current contracts within the

manager. Here there is an advantage for both

to expire, but can also be started when the

organization and the corresponding details

parties if they can both see why the supplier

organization needs an improved or new

can already be a step forward, but active

was selected during the tender procedure and

service. This could be based on results of a

contract management goes beyond that.

what was included in the list of requirements.

customer satisfaction survey, for instance.

Who does what?

list of requirements and lay this down in a

Contract manager, SLA manager, supplier

Contract information always at

hand in TOPdesk

manager and purchaser: all these people

In the Contract Management and SLM module

record the internal communication for

can be involved in a tender procedure. In our

you can register contract details like the

supplier selection in a following activity. When

experience, every organization interprets

end date and the final termination date of a

it is known which suppliers will be asked for

these functions differently and everybody

contract. Besides registering these details, it

a quote, the list of requirements can be sent

has their own wishes concerning contract

is also possible to include the three phases

from TOPdesk with the activity reference

management. Documents that belong to a

of a contract in TOPdesk, from initiation to

number as the subject. Received quotes can

In this phase the stakeholders compile a

TOPdesk change activity. You can subsequently

TOPDESK MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 2015 23

then be easily found in a central place in

3. Evaluation phase

phase and quickly start a new execution

TOPdesk. Once it is decided which supplier will

The activities in the evaluation phase can

phase. When it is necessary to plan a new

receive the contract, the next phase can be

be placed in TOPdesk in the change phase of

initiation phase with activities, you only need

started when delivery commences.

the same name. You can start the evaluation

to choose a new template. This way, TOPdesk

phase when you receive a notification from

shows you the way through the active

2. Execution phase

the Contract Management and SLM module

contract management process.

The activities in the execution phase

that the termination date of a contract is

can be placed in the progress phase of a

coming up. In this phase it is advisable to

change in TOPdesk. During the duration

come to a final conclusion on the suppliers

of the contract it is important to measure

delivered services based on the interim

how your organization experiences the

evaluations. You can now determine the

Tips for active contract

management

suppliers services. You can do this by creating

costs of the delivered services and whether

Create monthly reports per supplier

performance reports of incoming calls about

they correspond with the estimated costs.

for internal use.

the delivered services at fixed times. You can

It is also important to evaluate the contract

Schedule an interim evaluation each

also proactively send a customer satisfaction

management process in this phase. Does

quarter with your supplier

survey to your employees to ask about their

compiling of the list of requirements really

plan activities as a reminder.

experiences with the delivered products or

take that much time? Were the right people

Communicate with the customer

services. The results can be discussed with

involved with the supplier selection? Were all

about the agreements with

your supplier during the planned interim

interim evaluations performed correctly?

the supplier.

evaluations, so the delivery of products and

Determine the selection criteria

services can be adjusted within the duration

Full circle

of the contract.

If you choose to extend the contract with your

be consulted during a new supplier

current supplier, you can skip the initiation

selection.

in the initiation phase so they can