Here are Infinity’s top ten tips for getting the best from your learning suppliers:

1. Build good relationships so that both parties can benefit from shared experiences and knowledge.
2. Provide clarity of purpose so that a strong business case and return on investment can be agreed from the outset.
3. Make sure everyone understands the timescales and associated business pressures and encourage open discussion as to alternative approaches.
4. Provide clear budget information and work through the detailed breakdown of how that budget will be spent with your supplier.
5. Ensure that the project manager has the authority to sign off content or timely access to the person who has.
6. Agree a method for working together that encourages a partnership approach. Look to replicate processes that are already in place in your organisation as this will aid speed of response from other internal stakeholders.
7. Benefit from their experience. Allow your supplier to demonstrate learning approaches that have been successful for other clients.
8. Agree a robust change process from the outset, with a contingency budget that has the appropriate escalation procedure and internal sign off.
9. Ensure that your supplier has an in depth understanding of your learners so that they can respond to different learning styles and preferences and create targeted engagement activities.

Finally, welcome your learning supplier into your organisation as the more access they have to your culture and your processes the more effective their work will be.