Has a Vendor Ever Ghosted You? Strategies to Stay in Control

Have you ever been in the middle of a project, waiting for a crucial deliverable from a vendor, only to find that they’ve vanished into thin air? If you’ve ever had a vendor ghost you, you’re not alone. It’s a frustrating experience that can derail projects, strain relationships, and cause you to scramble for solutions. There are multiple ways to deal with vendor issues. Let's explore strategies that can help you keep your project on track and hold your vendors accountable.

Disappearing Acts: Vendor Ghosting Frustration

After spending weeks, maybe even months, choosing the perfect vendor, you’ve done your homework, checked all the references, and felt good about your decision. The contract is signed, and everything seems to be going well until it isn’t. Suddenly, the vendor stops responding to your emails, ignores your calls, and misses deadlines without any explanation. It feels like they’ve completely disappeared on you.

I’ve been there. I recently had what I thought was going to be a straightforward and relatively easy project. It started out very well; we were ahead of schedule, and then we hit a wall. The project manager was missing. I sent emails and left voicemails, but there was no answer. Finally, I had to escalate the situation to leadership in both our organization and theirs. It turned out that the vendor resource had resigned and had not been replaced on the project.

In my experience, this kind of vendor behavior can stem from overcommitment, poor communication, internal challenges within the vendor’s organization, or simply a lack of professionalism. Whatever the reason, the impact on your project is real, and it’s something that many of us have faced at one time or another.

Multiple Strategies for Managing Vendor Issues

Contracts are important, but they’re not the only tool you can use when dealing with vendors. Here are several strategies that I’ve found effective in managing vendor issues and ensuring that projects stay on track:

1. Establish a communication schedule to stay informed and address issues as they arise.
2. Create a true partnership by understanding the vendor’s challenges and collaborating effectively.
3. Have a clear escalation path to resolve issues quickly and maintain momentum.
4. Prepare backup plans to handle unexpected challenges and keep the project on track.
5. Set clear expectations in contracts to guide the vendor relationship and ensure accountability.

When Ghosting Happens: How to Respond

Even with all these strategies in place, there’s still a chance that a vendor might ghost you. When that happens, it’s important to act quickly and decisively:

• Reach Out Again: Sometimes, a vendor might not be ghosting you intentionally. They could be dealing with internal issues, miscommunication, or other challenges. I always start by sending a clear, concise email or making a phone call to try to re-establish contact.
• Escalate If Necessary: If initial attempts don’t work, it’s time to escalate. This might mean contacting someone higher up in the vendor’s organization or invoking the terms of your contract. I’ve found that mentioning the contract and the potential consequences of non-performance often prompts a quick response.
• Keep the Project Moving: While you’re dealing with a ghosting vendor, it’s important not to let the project stall. I’ve always tried to have backup plans in place, whether it’s finding an alternative vendor, reassigning the work internally, or adjusting the project timeline. The key is to keep things moving forward, even if it’s not exactly as planned.
• Document Everything: Every interaction, or lack thereof, with the vendor should be documented. I’ve kept detailed records of emails, phone calls, and missed deadlines. This documentation can be crucial if the situation escalates to a legal dispute or if you need to enforce the terms of your contract.
• Learn and Adjust: Each time I’ve dealt with a ghosting vendor, I’ve taken it as a learning opportunity. I reflect on what could have been done differently in the negotiation process and whether there were warning signs I missed. By learning from these experiences, I’ve improved my approach to vendor management and contract negotiation for future projects.

Wrapping Up

If a vendor has ever ghosted you, know that you are not alone and you are not powerless. By focusing on strong communication, building solid relationships, conducting regular performance reviews, and setting clear contract expectations, you can reduce the chances of being left in the lurch.

The frustration of being ghosted can be turned into valuable lessons that strengthen your approach to vendor management. Remember, success is not just about having a contract in place; it is about how you manage the relationship and communication throughout the project.

Are you ready to take control of your vendor relationships and ensure your projects stay on track? Start implementing these strategies today to protect your next project against from unexpected setbacks.

Don't forget to check out our previous articles:

• Why Do I Have Two Managers: Functional Manager vs. Project Manager?

• Is It Time for Your Business to Get a Project Management Check-Up?
• Is Your Vendor PM Sabotaging Your Project?

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