Are all partners clear about governance processes and levels? Are predicted savings being realised and reported? Do you have mechanisms in place to anticipate and address unreasonable expectations or false perceptions? Is the client team able to review and challenge the predicted costs and savings associated with any chargeable services? Is the rate of return on the contract still fair and healthy?  How can you validate this?


In the Transform phase the emphasis is on collaboration between partners so that they make the planned service improvements and savings a reality. There are a number of ways to prevent partnerships from disintegrating:

• Continuity. Insist that the client and bid teams remain in place for the first eighteen months. Build effective succession plans.
• Commitment to governance. Formal governance can become more informal and diluted over time, which can lead to problems. Maintain a proper structure.
• Enforcing appropriate behaviour. Ensure that everyone from the partners’ senior managers to their new recruits demonstrate their commitment to working collaboratively.
• Focusing on outcomes. Maintain your commitment to the big picture and ensure that all parties engage with local partnerships.
• Bringing the business case to life. Focus on the partnership’s original aims even when circumstances change.
• Reviewing risk. Partnerships will be less vulnerable to unforeseen circumstances if risk is jointly and regularly reviewed.  Do not let success relax your approach to risk management.

This is the time when the savings identified in the business case should be turned into a reality. EightyTwenty Insight can help you achieve those savings through, for example: carrying out a forward-looking health check on the delivery against all parties objectives; benchmarking to assess performance; a governance audit to take a constructive look at the health of the relationship(s).


Next stage: Perform