From Vendor to Partner: Getting the Most Out of your Agency Relationship by Tanesha Smith-Wattley, Head of Product & Delivery, Very Good Ventures | UXDX USA

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From Vendor to Partner: Getting the Most Out of your Agency Relationship

Product Direction

UXDX USA 2025

Slides

Agency or consultancy relationships can be tricky to navigate. I'll breakdown how to vet and select the right partner for you - ensuring your needs are not only met but exceeded. We'll dive into simple but effective decision frameworks along with negotiating tactics such as:

Identify your core need and refine your ask (augmentation, strategy, implementation, etc...)
How to decipher notional knowledge vs. deep expertise in a potential vendor
Discuss rates and budgets with confidence and empowerment
Gaining your executive(s) buy-in
Navigating "red-lines"

Tanesha Smith-Wattley, Head of Product & Delivery,Very Good Ventures

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