A strong relationship between a service supplier, implementation marketing consultant, or company is essential to the success of any implementation, integration, or execution of your advertising methods. Whereas the seller has experience within the services or products they’re offering, the institutional information of the consumer is simply as vital.
Whereas many corporations work from a dialog to a proposal, to a handshake, there’s an unlimited danger to each events concerned. It’s human nature for each side of a transaction to be optimistic concerning the tempo, course of, deliverables, and timeline related to any engagement. Nonetheless, each events come on the relationship with assumptions… many who aren’t disclosed within the negotiation course of nor documented within the proposal.
Why Develop A Assertion of Work (SOW)?
In a current publish, I had written concerning the steps you must take when launching your company. Included have been two essential contractual paperwork that I like to recommend:
- Grasp Service Settlement (MSA) – The final contract protecting the connection between our group and the consumer’s group. This has nothing to do with the precise undertaking deliverables – it’s a contract that units expectations on how our corporations will work collectively.
- Assertion of labor (SOW) – a doc that particularly outlines the phrases, deliverables, and assets required to finish a particular undertaking or job.
When you’re doing ongoing work with a consumer, separating the 2 is right since you’ll be able to merely suggest every engagement with a brand new SOW however you don’t must renegotiate the MSA that covers the general relationship.
The SOW is a doc that protects each the seller and the provider to make sure expectations are agreed upon. The method of growing the SOW is a collaborative one, the place the provider usually presents the SOW after which the seller walks by way of adjustments in these deliverables and the related finances.
What Sections Ought to Be In A Assertion Of Work?
The precise sections included in a press release of labor can fluctuate relying on the character and scope of the undertaking, however usually, it ought to embrace the next:
- Introduction – This part offers an summary of the undertaking and its function, in addition to any related background data.
- Scope of labor – This part outlines the precise duties and deliverables which can be included within the undertaking, in addition to any exclusions or limitations.
- Aims and deliverables – This part outlines the precise targets and outcomes of the undertaking, in addition to the precise deliverables that shall be supplied upon completion.
- Necessities – This part outlines any particular necessities or constraints that have to be met as a way to full the undertaking, resembling technical specs or compliance necessities. It ought to cowl each the seller’s necessities in addition to the consumer’s necessities.
- Schedule – This part outlines the timeline and milestones for the undertaking, together with any deadlines or milestones that have to be met. If it’s an ongoing relationship, it ought to specify the deliverables and their periodicity of supply. Be sure you embrace how usually conferences shall be held and who is anticipated to be current.
- Sources – This part outlines the assets that shall be required to finish the undertaking, together with personnel, authorization, entry to platforms, software program, licenses, and different supplies. Inside this part, setting expectations on response occasions and the service degree settlement is vital. We regularly element what our assist and coaching tasks are versus the consumer’s tasks – particularly because it pertains to third-party platforms.
- Finances – This part outlines the finances for the undertaking, together with any prices for supplies, labor, and different bills. It’s crucial that you simply doc how your invoices shall be paid, when they are going to be paid, who’s your key billing contact, and what occurs within the occasion of a dispute or unpaid bill.
- Threat Administration – This part outlines any potential dangers or points that will come up through the undertaking and the way they are going to be managed. This could embrace any remediation that could be needed if sudden points come up… and they’ll!
- High quality management – This part outlines the standard management measures that shall be put in place to make sure that the undertaking meets the required requirements. It usually goes by way of the acceptance procedures and specifies who will approve the general deliverables.
- Change Requests – Particulars are all the time misplaced on this course of and purchasers will usually request extra help or the seller might must work round points that weren’t disclosed. It’s vital to doc what the change request course of is in order that these adjustments and any subsequent charges are disclosed and agreed upon.
- Termination – This part outlines the circumstances underneath which the undertaking could also be terminated, in addition to any penalties or obligations that will outcome from termination.
- Appendices – This part might embrace any extra supporting data or paperwork which can be related to the undertaking, such because the MSA, different licensing particulars, contracts, or technical specs.
And naturally, a very powerful component:
- Signatures – The title, signature, and date of the events which can be approved to enter the contract out of your firm and your consumer’s firm.
Transferring Ahead With Your Signed SOW
When a consumer indicators with us, our operations supervisor meets to overview the SOW after which interprets it into our undertaking administration platform… rigorously documenting every deliverable, the timeline, and the accountable occasion. The SOW is rigorously sectioned and numbered in order that we will check with it at any time when discussing it internally with our group or getting clarification from the consumer.
By guaranteeing your undertaking administration system is totally documented to your SOW, any new requests stand out from the deliverables you’ll be able to determine whether or not or not they may require a change request.
Disclosure: All the time have an legal professional overview your SOW and MSA earlier than distributing them to a consumer to make sure you’re not placing your small business in danger. Whereas it’s crucial that your legal professional evaluations your MSA, a overview of your SOW template could also be positive.
