Introduction
In business, the contract manager is responsible for managing contracts between two or more parties. When there is a complex contract to negotiate, a dispute to analyse and handle before it turns into litigation, or contractual performance to monitor, it is the contract manager who is called upon.
Yet the role is often, and wrongly, reduced to a support or even administrative function. It is in fact a key position, meant to be a stakeholder in essential matters. The job demands excellent communication skills, an eye for detail and the ability to negotiate and resolve disputes.
There are, however, certain sentences a contract manager never wants to hear. In this article, we look at 5 phrases that are likely to make a contract manager wince
"I didn't read the contract before signing it"
One of the worst things a contract manager can hear is that one of the parties did not read the contract before signing it. This is a major red flag that can lead to serious problems later on. It is important that every party involved reads and understands the terms of the contract before signing.
"I didn't think to call you in for the negotiations"
Now we are into the deeply irritating!
How can anyone forget, when negotiating a CONTRACT, to invite the CONTRACT manager to negotiate it?
From an innocent oversight to deliberate licence there is but one step… and it is a step to be stamped out quickly, unless you want to see contracts negotiated slapdash and in defiance of the rules your company imposes.
"We've agreed the terms of the contract, you can take care of the admin"
As everyone knows, contract manager is a byword for general dogsbody!
That is not, however, reason enough for you to be confined to the menial jobs, still less for you to be left out of defining the key terms of the contract.
"Can you remind me what the contract says?"
The contract manager is neither a scribe, nor an assistant, nor a secretary!
This question has a gift for irritating contract managers. If that is your case, explain to Jean-Mi where the contract is filed and invite him to take a look himself and to come back to you if he cannot find the answer!
That said, good practice for heading off this question from Jean-Michel Can't-Be-Bothered is to centralise your contracts in a space that is accessible (to those who need access) and to write plain-language summary sheets that let every counterpart see at a glance what your contract contains.
"A contract? What contract?"
We have saved the best for last. As a rule, this phrase comes with a stare as blank as that of a cow mid-digestion.
It is often uttered in response to a request from the contract manager who, faced with a question or the first signs of a dispute, wants to know more about the terms agreed.
Every time someone says this to you, go and make yourself a herbal tea, breathe in and out calmly, and keep your cool.
Conclusion
Being a contract manager is not an easy job. There are many challenges and obstacles to overcome. However, by being proactive and keeping a few things in mind, a contract manager can avoid some of the most common problems that arise in managing contracts. By heading off the phrases mentioned in this article, a contract manager can make sure that contracts are seen through successfully and do not cause major problems.