Tearing your hair out yet? Common contract frustrations
Administrators of contract management databases may have an important job. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy.
Although a well-maintained contract database and a well-oiled contract management process can be key efficiency tools, there aren’t any (yet) glossy magazine covers dedicated to star contract database administrators.
If you are in charge of administering or managing a contract database (like the one created by using Contract Assistant), then you know there are more than a few contract frustrations that come along with the job.
In the spirit of commiseration, here’s a short list of things we know that probably drive diligent contract managers up the nearest wall.
1. Contracts that end before they begin. There is nothing quite so thankless as setting up a new electronic record for a contract, inputting all (or at least most) of the information on a new contract … then find out that contract/deal isn’t going to happen. Did someone pull the trigger too soon by passing on the contract information and saying “here’s a new one!”? Probably. Or maybe you were over eager in getting the data in before everything was official? Either way, this it is probably a more common contract frustration than you think – but you get an “A” for effort.
2. The “surprise” contract. If you’ve been doing contract administration long enough, then you know there may be a time when you suddenly discover there’s an important contract that no one has thought to flag to your attention for the database – or simply didn’t think it was important to pass on. Surprise! Your contract database has been incomplete, a key contract has been in place, and it’s been merrily unmonitored for … well, longer than anyone cares to admit.
3. “What’s a contract database?” One of the truly frustrating aspects of managing a contract database is when you find out other departments or people don’t know that you are managing a contract database … because they don’t know what a contract database is for. This is the reason for No. 2 (above), but it is a special contract frustration because the person who may not know the company or department has a contract database is a key employee. This may be due to poor communication among managers, but whatever the reason, if you are a contract database administrator, be sure to do your part and let others know that the contract database isn’t just something for someone to “manage.” It is a company resource, and can be used to everyone’s benefit.
No doubt there are more frustrations you encounter on a regular basis. However, even if no one else may say it, Blueridge Software Inc. knows what an important job you’re doing. Keep up the good work and don’t let these frustrations get in your way!
[About the author: Todd Hyten is a former business journalist who now writes about B2B topics and consults on content marketing. You can find him on Twitter and Google+.]