This book is the second in WorldatWork's Selecting & Managing Service Providers series. It is an essential follow-up to Getting It Right From the Start, which helped lay the foundation for a successful external service provider relationship. This new book focuses on making the most of that short window of negotiating opportunity between vendor selection and management. This fleeting period of contract discussions is frequently undervalued, even though it proves instrumental in setting the right tone for the outsourcing relationship.

“If I would have had this [book] to read a long time ago, it would have given me everything I needed to know about selecting a vendor and using outside rescues. This publication should be a good addition to any HR professional’s library.”

     - Dave Brown, CCP, CBP Compensation Manager, CNF Transportation

Introduction — Addressing and Finessing the Fine Print

1: The Artful Skill of Negotiating 1

2: Propose a Win-Win Plan 5

3: Form a Bargain (Brain) Trust 15

4: Identify Priorities 21

5: The Letter of Intent 29

6: Insist on a Service Level Agreement 37

7: Establish Performance Expectations 47

8: Transition and Conversion 61

Conclusion -- Succeeding in the Long Run 67