As a board member, you are responsible for many aspects of your association. One of these tasks is selecting projects to complete and the vendors who will work on these projects. Whether it’s scheduling routine pool maintenance or arranging for new trees to be planted in the community park. Below are some step-by-step tips for managing vendors. Some of these steps might be new to you due to a community manager handling them. However, we want you to be aware of each step of the process, so you know what’s going on behind the scenes.
Outline the details of your project.
Any project starts with a good plan. So first, you should decide on your budget, your deadline, and the specifications of your project. For example, if you are adding a new playground to the community park, work with the community to decide on the types of equipment beforehand, such as two toddlers’ bucket swings and a merry-go-round with plastic seats. Then, decide how much money you are willing spend, what items you could give up to stay within your budget, and a timeframe for the project.
Do you need to hire a vendor?
In almost all cases, the answer is yes. We always recommend hiring a qualified vendor to perform work where expertise is needed. However, some simple projects, such as community clean-ups and flower-planting events, can be fruitful ways to engage homeowners in the community and to encourage friendships among neighbors.
Research vendors to find the best fit.
Your community manager will match up vendors to the specifications you outlined in the first step to find the vendor that can best meet your needs.
Use the bids from the top vendors to make your decision.
Your community manager will give you bids from the top three vendors, so you have an easy time choosing the one with the most reasonable prices and high-quality goods and services.
Communicate your project plans to the chosen vendor very clearly, and have the vendor clearly communicate its plans to you.
Go into detail about your project plan for the vendor, and make sure the vendor understands your budget, deadlines, and the specifications of the project. Your community manager will help you keep track of when each step of the project will be completed, how it will be completed, and who will be working on it. He or she will also help manage the items the vendor asks your HOA to help with.
Use a checklist to track the work being done for your project.
This sheet will be a checklist of goals for the vendor to complete over a certain period of time or continually over each week or month. Be flexible in case you run into delays (like rainy weather), but still create a plan with deadlines that will get your project done on time. When you and your community manager are discussing checklists with vendors, be sure to praise performance that goes beyond what you expected as well as give constructive criticism; this will tell vendors what they should keep doing and what they should continue to work on.
Always keep the vendor in the loop.
Stay in communication with the vendor through each step of the project. Your community manager can help you keep the vendor informed of any project changes, timeline changes, meeting changes, etc. If you inherit vendors from a retired board, have the vendors informed of any adjustments you make to regulations or policies if the changes could affect their work. You could also invite vendors to project meetings or board meetings if you would like to discuss changes to their services, you are considering deadline changes, or homeowners have questions about a vendor’s services.
Managing vendors involves careful planning, communication, and flexibility. A vendor is similar to an employee who benefits from supervision and feedback. By taking the time to understand your vendors and the details of their services, you can become a pro project organizer and completer and get the most from your vendors. And, Spectrum will be with you every step of the way to help make sure that your project is completed quickly and efficiently.
