When you’re working with a consultant, solution provider, or any team or agency, you have to realize that it’s a two-way thing. When you’re starting, if they are okay with your level of involvement, it’s something that you should be able to maintain throughout. Things happen all the time. Projects are delayed by feedback delays from clients a lot of the time, or frequent changes, which should not happen if there’s a great discovery or initial phase. But it’s a two-way thing. You have to be willing to spend some time providing all the details that they need from you. You have to be willing to give your feedback. You have to be willing to let them know, “This is not what I want. This is what I need.” Provide your list of requirements.
You have to sit down, think, and, if possible, sit with your team members, brainstorm, and look at the options the agency or the person would have given you, which is probably all the available options and their recommendations on how you should proceed. You have to be ready to be involved, and if not actively, then give them everything they need in the initial part.
If you’re not so available, they can work with that. But they should also have a great process where they don’t need to be chasing you for information. What they will be needing from you is feedback, and then they go ahead to proceed to other phases. Sort out the whole invoicing thing so that delayed payments shouldn’t affect their time. If they have to wait for the next invoice to clear, it might take days or weeks before it gets to them. So sort out payments so that everything is smooth sailing. It’s a two-way thing. You have to be willing to discuss and compromise a bit on some things. They, too, should be willing to compromise on some things and talk to you. Get on calls with them. Speak with them. It’s going to make things a lot easier, and they’re going to get better results that way.