Enough of the technical definition – What is Value Added and how can this be of benefit?  Value Added is defining yourself as being a value to your client.

This can be in the way of an additional product or resource.  Think of it as “setting yourself apart” from your competition. What makes you and your product/service special and why should clients chose you over other resources?  Are you one of the bunch or do you stand out in your field?

I’ve found that “value added” can be as easy as a returning calls within a certain time frame and/or just taking pride in your work and your work environment.  Let’s look at a few “value added” items that are of no additional cost to yourself or your company and can set yourself apart of the competition relatively easily.

Relationship – how is your relationship with your clients? Are you a partner to your client and works with them to reach their final goal? This is always important and a great way to establish a long lasting relationship in any economy.  Your client needs to feel that they can talk with you easily, share ideas and goals and rely on you for your input.  Communication is the most important aspect of any client relationship.

Relationship building does take time and is well worth the effort when you have a client that shares companies goals and strategies with you and provides you with the ability to share ideas and/or resources with them that can assist with their goals. This puts you in the place of becoming a value added resource to your client.

Something as easy as taking a client to lunch occasionally, stopping by to check on them and/or see how things are going, sending a brief note that has an item that they may be interested in (either professionally or personally) and most importantly, returning correspondence in a timely manner.  Remember, the personal touch, not relying on email for all correspondence, sets you apart.

Customer Service – Your Company already has a customer service department that handles your client’s projects.  How responsive and helpful is your customer service department? Do they return calls/correspondence in a timely manner?  Do they go the extra mile and actually make a phone call vs. rely on email?  Is correspondence detailed and provides the client with all information vs. having to go back and forth in email? These are all very important aspects to good customer service.

Service/Products – Does the workers take pride in the products/services you offer? If they do, then there is less of a return rate or customer dissatisfaction rate, therefore this is a value added to your customer.  In today’s economy, the last thing anyone needs is a customer who receives a product or service and they are not satisfied. You don’t need to give your clients reasons to go to the competition.  Reviewing procedures and policies and having a stable/employee work environment is key to reducing customer returns.

Some other great resources for setting yourself apart and leading in tough times can be found at www.bizzia.com called “10 Ways to Lead in Tough Times“

Good customer service practice says you keep at it until the customer is satisfied. But are you and the customer really putting the necessary effort into the project at this stage?

As a project manager from either side of the spectrum (vendor or client), you always want the project completed to everyone’s satisfaction. This was the goal from the start and something that everyone has tried to accomplish.  But there are instances where due to project scope changes, personnel changes and/or other factors, it is best to realize the stage where you are and admit, that perhaps it’s time to stop and regroup.

Is it time to get someone else involved in the project to shed some light on the next steps?  Is it time to have a meeting to review where the project is and why it is at the current stage then put a plan into place to complete the outstanding items? Is it time to perhaps stop all together and admit that based upon current requirements and/or changes in direction, perhaps it’s best to sign off on what’s completed and go separate ways?

It’s always difficult to come to these decisions, but in the long run it may be the best course of action for a project that just doesn’t seem to have a light at the end of the tunnel.  Trying to continue without clear definition isn’t doing anyone any good, not the vendor or client. Sometimes embracing the situation and going to the next stage is the best course of action.

Both sides, client and vendor, would appreciate the honesty and the fact that a strategy/plan has been put into place, whether ending or continuing.  There is a light, you just need to realize it and take the next step.

Let’s face it, we all know the situation with the economy and the need to cut costs internally as much as possible.  Last week layoffs surged to over 300,000 since late August 2008 (see Techcrunch article for specifics http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/17/tech-layoffs-surge-to-300000/) with more layoffs announced and in all probability, more coming.

With the need to reduce costs, How could outsourcing be a benefit to you and your organization?  

Depending on the type of vendor and contract period that you are considering, it could help to reduce your overall budget expense.  Outsourcing could also help to ensure that your project is delivered on-time, and in a smooth and efficient manner.

First, lets address budget. Vendor outsourcing would certainly be less costly than hiring and training new employees to address your web projects and/or updates/edits.  As mentioned above, layoffs are at a high right now and most companies have had to downsize in one way or another.  If you are lucky and can hire, hiring and training can run anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 just in ad placement, interviewing, background and drug checks and then the internal training (this doesn’t include salary compensation). Where, with a vendor there would be some expense in the research and proposal/interviewing stage, but then vendors are the experts and professionals. From that point on they should be able to take over and handle your project and web needs based upon the contract requirements.

Your website, in most cases, is your first impression to the general public, your members, your potential new members, your audience and your buyers. It is important to keep your website as up-to-date and fresh as possible.  Information/content needs to be updated timely and of relevance to keep users coming back to your site.  Functionality needs to be updated and user friendly. Technology is always changing and being updated, you need to stay in the forefront of your competition and ensure that you offer your website users with a good experience when they visit your site. You want them to keep coming back.

Vendor outsourcing is a viable solution to assisting you and your company with maintaining a good web presence, staying ahead of the competition through updated content and web strategies/technologies, and increasing users and traffic to your site. 

Timing of your project is important and your selected vendor is the expert in the web strategy, design and development field. They should be able to provide you with a schedule timeline with milestones and updates throughout the process. Your vendor is representing you and your company. A good project depends on a good project manager. Your selected vendor should be a good project manager and ensure that the project experience and outcome is a smooth one for you and your organization.  

I found a post that was done a few years ago regarding vendor consulting and still believe that this is relevant, the post was from the www.problogger.com site and does include good information and good comments that are definitely worth the time to review.  http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/11/27/hiring-a-web-consultant-pros-and-cons/

Ensure that you list all assumptions in as much detail as possible.  It’s OK if they are listed in more than one area of the response.  The more the better in some instances to ensure that they are read and agreed to.  

Items that are normally included as part of the assumption outline include:

1. Files types and File formats of images, logos, etc. that the client may be supplying. (i.e., Logo/Images are to be supplied as vector based images at 150 dpi);
2. Point of Contact for both Project Manager and Contact (list point of contact names from both parties, this will help cut down on the task of receiving multiple emails from various client contacts;
3. Response times to inquiries (i.e., questions/inquiries received during normal business hours of 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday will receive a response within 24 hours of receipt, etc.);
4. Changes/Modifications – how will these be handled? (i.e., all changes/modifications to specifications will be reviewed with an estimated time of completion and charge provided for approval, etc.);
5. For newly developed web sites, an assumption to add is “Testing & Approval”.  The site will be fully tested by the client and approved prior to placing on the live web servers, any changes requested after this time will result in additional charges;
6. Edits/Updates – stipulate in the assumptions that any requested edits/updates will be performed during regular business hours and any requested edits/updates that are to be received after regular business hours are subject to additional charges’
7. Communication – add in the assumptions the communication process, i.e., the Project Manager will communicate and provide the client project manager with a status update via email once per week, etc. (whenever or however this is to occur).

As a recommendation, also add a line under the estimate amount and/or somewhere within the stated rates, that the rates reflected are for work performed during the business hours of 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday. Special requests for work performed outside of these hours will be subject to additional charges with an estimate provided for approval at this time.

After the job is won and the contract is approved, the next stage is the Project Specifications.  I recommend that you at least include these same assumptions and pricing guidelines within the specifications as well on a separate page.  Possibly have the client and project manager initial this page as well.  Not to be overly anal about the assumptions or the guidelines, but it is best practice to ensure that these are read and agreed to.

Remember, you based your proposal upon these assumptions. Having them ignored during the course of the project could result in project creep, loss of monies due to additional expenses not accounted for, or an unhappy client because the project was not what they had thought.

Now what? You review the proposal, speak with the appropriate people to ensure a clear understanding, review the schedule requirements, schedule the development and design team, etc.

The administrative project functions are completed and now is the time to start the specification and flow chart process. How to begin? Where to begin?

Do you start with writing the specifications in a word document? Page by page, action by action. Do you accompany this with a flow chart? Once again, page by page flow based upon the actions? Does this become cumbersome and confusing as you go through the process? Are you writing, reading, revising, and writing again?

The specifications process is one of the most important aspects as a project. I’ve found that no matter how well and detailed you write the specifications, the development process always highlights items that were not included in the specifications or made clear. It’s the nature of the beast and these items can become time consuming to clarify and resolve.

I’ve recently discovered wireframe software which will enable you, as project manager, to create a pseudo functional site, make notes and annotations of functionality where appropriate, and provide to the client via link to a URL (if you have access to a server). The software also includes the ability to translate the wireframes into specifications. Once approved, the developers have a guideline to use for the development, thus increasing production and reducing questions, incorect development, time, and costs.

A few wireframe programs that I’ve found which are worth the time to review are Axure (http://www.axure.com/home.aspx) and Quality Unit (http://www.qualityunit.com/screendesigner/).

Congratulation on your new project and good luck. I’m sure you’ll do great and shine with the right tools to make your project planning a smooth one.