I never thought I’d be writing this post. I mean, when Covid-19 hit, many people (myself included) thought this was going to be over pretty quickly. Even after the company I work for told everyone to work from home back in March, and the city was put under shelter-in-place orders, I was making plans with co-workers and vendors to “see them in April!” Those weren’t just words either. I was actively planning meetings and events with the thought that in 3 weeks time everything will be back to normal. Well, as we all know now – days turned into weeks which turned into months. As I sit here writing this, it’s been 2 months of sheltering-in-place.
These 2 months have changed my perspective on how I manage my vendors. It’s funny, but even though I’m a “millennial”, I was taught in my first 2 jobs, that all meetings HAVE to be in person. If you’re not meeting in person, you’re wasting your time.
When all travel was canceled and everyone was instructed to stay home, I realized that I had to change my thinking and expectations. I had to figure out ways to manage my vendors and maintain these relationships from a distance. I learned what many people are starting to see – you can be just as productive when working remotely and you can still continue to connect with each other. You just have to get a little creative.
So, you may be wondering what are my takeaways? What have I started incorporating / doing differently to maintain, and even improve, these business relationships?
- Use video conferencing for your meetings
A lot of companies have already made the switch to using video conferencing for the ability to share files and presentations, but you might be surprised to know that there are still quite a few companies that conduct their meetings by phone. No screen sharing, no seeing each other’s faces. Many video conferencing services started offering free options for using their products during the pandemic. Take advantage of it! So until we’re all allowed to go to work and meet in person – video conferences make a big difference in how you can communicate with your vendors. But there is a caveat: you have to have your camera on during the meeting. Which brings us to point 2.
- Turn on your camera during meetings
When we first started doing shelter-in-place, there were many people who wouldn’t turn on their camera. And I get it – you’re home and you don’t want to get ready for the day, as if you’re about to leave the house, when, in reality, you’re not going to leave your couch (or office or dining room table – wherever your designated workspace may be). In fact, in the beginning, I was just as guilty. I didn’t really want people to see me in my sweatshirt and bun, no makeup and glasses. But then I realized, by not turning on our cameras, these meetings were no different than if we were to talk on the phone. You didn’t see the person, you didn’t see their expressions, you weren’t able to make that connection.
By having the camera on, you’re invited into a bit of the person’s life. You can see how a room is decorated, you may hear your co-workers partner in the background, see their kids, or get a glimpse of their dog. You connect with them like never before.
An in-person meeting, no matter how friendly, never have allowed you to understand the person across the table this way before. We’re living in a whole new era, and we should make the most of it.
I’ve been encouraging everyone to turn on their cameras for our meetings in the last month. I will admit, that I usually give people a heads up a couple of days in advance (so they can feel comfortable with this idea), but it’s been working out very well. This technique feels like you’re still meeting in person, like the bond you have with your coworkers and vendors can continue to grow. But at the same time, you’re social distancing and staying safe.
- Meet more often
I imagine this may not be the most popular opinion, but hear me out. With video conferencing readily available at our fingertips, we are no longer constrained by flying to see vendors (or vendors seeing us) once or twice a year (granted at this time it’s also not an option…with COVID..so you know – work with what you’ve got). You can set up video conferences more frequently to touch base, see if things are going well and discover what needs to improve. This can strengthen and build your relationship like never before!
- Remote happy hours
After an in-person meeting, many clients and vendors go out for either lunch, dinner, or drinks. This allows you to mingle with everyone in a more casual way, to get to know each other, or to talk business over a cold beer. Now, since that’s no longer an option, I invite you to host a remote happy hour with your vendors. Did you just have a big meeting or a quarterly business review that lasted 1-2 hours? Great! Schedule a remote happy hour afterwards to get a drink and just ask how everyone’s doing. You can still continue to build your relationship in a more casual, friendly way – just like before. You just have to get a bit more creative about it.
In the past, one of the reasons I was so against remote meetings was because I thought you wouldn’t be able to connect to the person the same way and to build that relationship. But, as we’ve seen from this list, that’s not true – not anymore.
With this turn of events with so many people working remotely, it’s become easier for people to be more familiar with each other. Lines have been blurred between work and home, as we’ve been invited into each other’s homes.
Connections build relationships. This includes professional relationships with your vendors. These relationships allow you to solve problems, and partner for success. Don’t be afraid of this new familiarity. Nothing has to change, you can keep doing what you’ve done before (albeit with a few tweaks) and watch your professional relationships blossom!
Musings of a Vendor Manager 