Maintain vendor oversight and visibility in transformation projects

Does this sound familiar? “Vendors and contractors have so much control over our projects that it sometimes feels like they are running the show.” This sentiment is common amongst numerous financial institutions, expressing a sense of losing control over their transformation project deliveries with minimal vendor oversight.   

The key to successful delivery and implementation lies in establishing clear accountability. This means that project managers, team members, stakeholders and employees at all levels must be driven by a personal commitment and motivation to achieve the project’s objectives as envisioned by leadership.  

When individual employees have less hands-on roles, there is a risk of the project being taken over by third party vendors and contractors to fill the void of decision-making. This overreliance on external vendors can result in a loss of control and visibility over project direction and outcomes. Vendors may then start to prioritise their own interests or methodologies over the company’s needs, driving the project in directions that do not align with the company’s vision. 

Why a dedicated task force is key to aligned transformation 

When structured poorly, transformation projects are often perceived as side tasks by employees instead of being prioritised consistently. Additionally, employees may start to feel frustration about the project as they are pulled off their daily tasks while expected to deliver on both ends.  

To ensure sustainable transformation delivery, teams need to be structured in such a way that dedicated resources are provided to teams. A transformation task force should be set up in a way that aids consistent monitoring and oversight over the progress of the transformation, ensuring external vendors stay on track with leadership’s vision.  

A governance framework for engagement and sustainable transformation 

The absence of a clear governance framework can lead to vendors managing projects without clear objectives, timelines, or accountability, sidelining client teams. As they are unaware of business needs and challenges, decisions are not often made according to what’s best for the organisation or its goals.  

Additionally, without committed and digitally literate leadership to regularly oversee progress, projects can falter and timelines can be stretched on the organisation’s dime. Leadership must ensure that vendors are aligned with company goals and effectively managed with strong project governance to prevent vendors from taking control of decisions. That’s where a well-designed task force is crucial.  

How a well-designed task force improves vendor oversight and visibility 

When Renoir begins assembling the pieces needed to transform the operations of our client, we will set up the following elements: 

1. Management Action Teams (MATs)
   Responsible for the definition, development, implementation, and sustainability of the changes implemented into the organisation.
2. Task force
   A team (or teams) consisting of full-time client-side employees and Renoir consultants, reporting to a dedicated Project Manager. Supports the MATs in defining, developing, implementing, and monitoring the changes implemented into the organisation. 
3. Steering committee
   Accountable for the delivery of the program objectives. The committee reviews progress and takes the necessary executive decisions needed to keep the project on track. 
4. Workforce
   The target of the changes is the workforce. Changes are implemented with the MATs and task force working hand-in-hand. 

A dedicated task force is trained in supervisory control and short interval controls, facilitating regular progress monitoring of vendors and contractors. With regular meetings and structure in place, teams can identify deviations in performance more quickly so that action can be taken for the project to stay on track. 

We also upskill, train and bring the client’s employees through the transformation to build their internal capabilities. By the end of the project, the goal is for employees to become change champions, delivering sustainable transformation by taking over the execution of the transformation activities and advocating for continuous improvement. 

 Renoir Consulting has delivered transformation success to clients across multiple industries for the past 30 years. We take accountability for your team’s real and measurable outcomes, focusing on behaviour change and people engagement across all levels. We believe that only then can solutions be fully embedded into employees’ daily routines and sustainable change can take place.