101 Tips for Telecommuters—Successfully Manage Your Work, Team, Technology and Family

71. Set Service Expectations and Get Your Desired Results

Before you can set expectations for a service provider, you must have your needs clearly defined and know specifically the results you're looking for (Tip 71). This may include specifications regarding timeliness, material quality, adherence to established procedures, service orientation and skills, or equipment output levels. With clear criteria, you can begin by identifying potential resources. Use business listings, phone directories, referrals from your network, the chamber of commerce, or the Better Business Bureau to create a pool of potential suppliers. Since having clear criteria without viable vendors is like having a great job description without qualified candidates, screen ...