Specialist or generalist supplier: which fits your project?
Choose between a specialist and generalist supplier by mapping your project's critical skills, coordination and accountability.
THE FIELD NOTES
People. Ideas. Progress.
Useful questions and practical guides about the companies behind the work.
34 articles to explore
How to compare renewal clauses and exit terms
Compare renewal dates, notice periods, exit costs and data handover before an ongoing service becomes hard to leave.
A supplier onboarding checklist for the first 30 days
Give a new supplier a clear first-month start with owners, access, a baseline, early reviews and documented decisions.
How to evaluate customer case studies and testimonials
Read case studies for starting context, supplier role and credible results, then ask follow-up questions that test fit.
What to ask when a company subcontracts project work
Clarify who performs subcontracted work, who checks it and who remains responsible for delivery and information handling.
How to assess communication during a supplier sales call
Use a supplier sales call to test understanding, useful questions and written follow-up rather than presentation style alone.
When the cheapest service quote costs more
Compare the full cost of reaching an acceptable result, including exclusions, internal effort and the risk of poor fit.
How to compare project timelines fairly
Normalise project start dates, approvals, testing and dependencies before comparing suppliers' promised completion dates.
Who owns the deliverables when a service project ends?
List the files, data, accounts and usage rights you need at handover before a service project comes to an end.
How to set acceptance criteria for a service project
Write acceptance criteria that describe observable user tasks, named approvers and evidence needed for project sign-off.
Questions to ask before switching an existing supplier
Plan a supplier switch around notice dates, assets, access, overlap and a tested transition rather than a last-minute cancellation.
How to compare companies for a multi-site website project
Compare multi-site website suppliers on shared content, local control, editorial governance, releases and future costs.