{"version":"1.0.0","segments":[{"startTime":0.579,"endTime":5.03,"body":"You're listening to for the record, a registrar podcast sponsored by Acro."},{"startTime":5.349,"endTime":9.47,"body":"I'm Colleen Harms Associate Registrar at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities"},{"startTime":9.949,"endTime":14.159,"body":"and I'm Sarah Morelli, Senior Associate registrar at the University of Iowa."},{"startTime":14.17,"endTime":16.959,"body":"And this is why you need vendors."},{"startTime":25.489,"endTime":28.059,"body":"Hello, welcome to For the record."},{"startTime":28.069,"endTime":28.76,"body":"I'm your host,"},{"startTime":28.77,"endTime":32.79,"body":"Doug mckenna University Registrar at George Mason University in Fairfax,"},{"startTime":32.799,"endTime":33.47,"body":"Virginia."},{"startTime":33.819,"endTime":36.43,"body":"Today is all about dealing with vendors"},{"startTime":36.689,"endTime":40.5,"body":"as higher education continues its adoption of technological solutions."},{"startTime":40.509,"endTime":44.95,"body":"A full sector of industry has arisen the ed tech space and"},{"startTime":44.959,"endTime":48.38,"body":"while some of us might still rely heavily on homegrown or self"},{"startTime":48.5,"endTime":49.889,"body":"developped applications,"},{"startTime":50.029,"endTime":52.68,"body":"I think every one of us works closely with at"},{"startTime":52.689,"endTime":56.43,"body":"least one vendor source to application in our professional life."},{"startTime":56.52,"endTime":57.349,"body":"And I'd say"},{"startTime":57.529,"endTime":60.439,"body":"that the average registrar staff member probably deals with"},{"startTime":60.45,"endTime":62.47,"body":"3 to 5 of them on a daily basis."},{"startTime":62.479,"endTime":63.18,"body":"Easily"},{"startTime":63.63,"endTime":66.29,"body":"those applications have people behind them."},{"startTime":66.3,"endTime":70.01,"body":"And we generally refer to those people as vendors"},{"startTime":70.339,"endTime":73.959,"body":"working with interacting with and sometimes even walking past"},{"startTime":73.97,"endTime":77.059,"body":"a vendor display area can be anxiety inducing,"},{"startTime":77.139,"endTime":79.01,"body":"but it doesn't have to be."},{"startTime":79.29,"endTime":80.949,"body":"So today we're going to be talking to"},{"startTime":80.959,"endTime":84.449,"body":"Colleen Harms and Sarah Morelli about ways to lower"},{"startTime":84.459,"endTime":87.08,"body":"that stress level and to make those interactions with"},{"startTime":87.089,"endTime":91.069,"body":"vendors more meaningful and beneficial for both parties."},{"startTime":91.22,"endTime":94.669,"body":"So, Colleen Sarah, welcome to the podcast."},{"startTime":94.989,"endTime":97.459,"body":"-- Thanks,"},{"startTime":94.989,"endTime":97.459,"body":"-- Doug. Thanks for having us. Thank"},{"startTime":97.47,"endTime":99.5,"body":"you so much. Happy to be here."},{"startTime":100.129,"endTime":103.029,"body":"You both have really interesting backgrounds and because you're"},{"startTime":103.04,"endTime":106.959,"body":"not the first guests from your respective institutions,"},{"startTime":106.97,"endTime":108.459,"body":"let's focus on you."},{"startTime":108.8,"endTime":111.79,"body":"Tell us a little bit about yourself and the career path"},{"startTime":112.0,"endTime":115.669,"body":"that led you to the registrar's office. So Colleen will start with you."},{"startTime":116.309,"endTime":119.37,"body":"It has been an interesting and long journey doug"},{"startTime":119.629,"endTime":120.75,"body":"um I am,"},{"startTime":121.739,"endTime":124.58,"body":"I am here for it and I hope you are too."},{"startTime":124.94,"endTime":127.529,"body":"I am one of the few people in my office"},{"startTime":127.54,"endTime":131.25,"body":"that have not spent my career in higher education."},{"startTime":131.479,"endTime":133.929,"body":"I am just entering into my fifth year,"},{"startTime":133.94,"endTime":135.779,"body":"both in higher education and at the"},{"startTime":135.789,"endTime":138.08,"body":"University of Minnesota in the registrar's office."},{"startTime":138.229,"endTime":141.13,"body":"My background is actually in business administration."},{"startTime":141.399,"endTime":143.919,"body":"I have my master's in business administration."},{"startTime":143.929,"endTime":148.259,"body":"My undergraduate degree was in marketing and public relations, communication."},{"startTime":148.649,"endTime":151.729,"body":"I decided that was not the track that I wanted to go."},{"startTime":151.96,"endTime":156.789,"body":"And so I've lived a few different professional lives looking for"},{"startTime":157.02,"endTime":158.02,"body":"just a really"},{"startTime":158.229,"endTime":161.089,"body":"good match for my skill set and also something"},{"startTime":161.19,"endTime":164.05,"body":"that had a little bit more heart and soul where"},{"startTime":164.059,"endTime":165.979,"body":"there were people that actually cared about what they did."},{"startTime":166.3,"endTime":169.19,"body":"And that point of view comes from working for"},{"startTime":169.199,"endTime":170.889,"body":"a really long time in the private sector."},{"startTime":170.899,"endTime":175.779,"body":"So I worked in residential property management for seven years. I hi"},{"startTime":175.889,"endTime":177.809,"body":"we do not recommend that field."},{"startTime":177.91,"endTime":181.869,"body":"Um It is incredibly stressful, it is really demanding."},{"startTime":181.88,"endTime":187.309,"body":"There's uh a lot of positive and a lot of negative interactions with the community."},{"startTime":187.57,"endTime":191.27,"body":"Um And there's a lot of interaction with vendors."},{"startTime":191.279,"endTime":194.589,"body":"And then I've also worked in health care and in"},{"startTime":194.6,"endTime":198.929,"body":"early childhood education before finding my home in higher end,"},{"startTime":200.229,"endTime":201.41,"body":"-- Sarah, what about"},{"startTime":200.229,"endTime":201.41,"body":"-- you?"},{"startTime":202.039,"endTime":207.199,"body":"So Sarah Morelli, as I mentioned, I work at the University of Iowa,"},{"startTime":207.21,"endTime":211.41,"body":"a quintessential and beautiful big 10 college town in eastern Iowa."},{"startTime":211.71,"endTime":213.809,"body":"So I lead the strategic planning for our"},{"startTime":213.82,"endTime":217.6,"body":"curriculum management system which includes the academic structure,"},{"startTime":217.61,"endTime":220.119,"body":"course, library degree audits and sample plans."},{"startTime":220.13,"endTime":221.279,"body":"I'm also a data steward"},{"startTime":221.389,"endTime":223.729,"body":"degree audit information and a functional"},{"startTime":223.74,"endTime":225.809,"body":"lead for homegrown student information system."},{"startTime":225.82,"endTime":227.16,"body":"I am a"},{"startTime":227.479,"endTime":230.369,"body":"nontraditional and first generation student."},{"startTime":230.38,"endTime":235.41,"body":"I went back to school after having kids, I earned a finance business degree"},{"startTime":235.679,"endTime":238.46,"body":"and then went directly into higher ed."},{"startTime":238.47,"endTime":242.449,"body":"I started working in our Treasury operations department."},{"startTime":242.71,"endTime":245.75,"body":"I kind of moved through a few roles, financial analyst."},{"startTime":245.759,"endTime":250.16,"body":"Uh I ended up managing the ID card programs for our university and our"},{"startTime":250.5,"endTime":252.33,"body":"our hospital."},{"startTime":252.55,"endTime":253.199,"body":"And then"},{"startTime":253.44,"endTime":254.49,"body":"one day"},{"startTime":254.71,"endTime":258.589,"body":"I was feeling a little burnt out and I started thinking about roles that I"},{"startTime":258.6,"endTime":263.529,"body":"want or units I wanted to work in on campus and I started thinking about,"},{"startTime":263.622,"endTime":263.752,"body":"oh,"},{"startTime":263.763,"endTime":267.072,"body":"the registrar's office has this Halloween parade every year"},{"startTime":267.083,"endTime":269.643,"body":"and they seem like such a fun office."},{"startTime":269.773,"endTime":273.083,"body":"Literally the next day my job was posted."},{"startTime":273.092,"endTime":276.322,"body":"And so I was like, it's a sign I gotta apply for it."},{"startTime":276.632,"endTime":281.882,"body":"Never once got to do the Halloween parade because COVID hit and then"},{"startTime":282.113,"endTime":283.972,"body":"it just never happened. So,"},{"startTime":285.485,"endTime":286.476,"body":"five years later,"},{"startTime":286.976,"endTime":289.395,"body":"um, I've been in the registrar's office for five years"},{"startTime":289.575,"endTime":290.825,"body":"and I love it."},{"startTime":290.966,"endTime":291.895,"body":"-- Absolutely"},{"startTime":290.966,"endTime":291.895,"body":"-- love it."},{"startTime":292.135,"endTime":295.105,"body":"That is one of the most amazing how I got to"},{"startTime":295.115,"endTime":298.515,"body":"the registrar's office stories I've ever heard and I've heard a bunch"},{"startTime":298.865,"endTime":301.765,"body":"I who knew that little things like a"},{"startTime":301.776,"endTime":305.196,"body":"Halloween parade could bring somebody into the office."},{"startTime":305.726,"endTime":306.066,"body":"It's"},{"startTime":306.246,"endTime":306.256,"body":"a"},{"startTime":306.526,"endTime":307.196,"body":"culture, right?"},{"startTime":307.335,"endTime":309.825,"body":"Like the relationships you build with your colleagues and"},{"startTime":309.835,"endTime":311.996,"body":"then the culture that you work through that."},{"startTime":312.006,"endTime":313.955,"body":"That's what you want out of a career."},{"startTime":314.359,"endTime":318.549,"body":"Yeah, Colleen, how did you land in the registrar's office? I know that you said"},{"startTime":318.72,"endTime":321.019,"body":"you were looking for a different speed."},{"startTime":321.029,"endTime":324.41,"body":"What was it about the registrar's office that drew you in?"},{"startTime":324.799,"endTime":329.0,"body":"Um So I also was home with kids for a while"},{"startTime":329.079,"endTime":332.109,"body":"and when I was looking to enter back into the workforce,"},{"startTime":332.119,"endTime":335.07,"body":"I was really looking for something that"},{"startTime":335.369,"endTime":339.649,"body":"I could balance my personal life with my work life"},{"startTime":339.88,"endTime":340.41,"body":"and"},{"startTime":340.799,"endTime":344.019,"body":"you can be promised that in all sorts of professional spaces. But"},{"startTime":344.709,"endTime":346.649,"body":"when the rubber hits the road"},{"startTime":346.79,"endTime":349.38,"body":"and so looking for a, a"},{"startTime":349.64,"endTime":351.73,"body":"culture as Sarah mentioned"},{"startTime":351.97,"endTime":353.779,"body":"and pretty quickly, I"},{"startTime":353.91,"endTime":355.97,"body":"found that in the interview, I was like,"},{"startTime":355.98,"endTime":358.779,"body":"this is a place where I feel like I can be successful."},{"startTime":358.95,"endTime":361.239,"body":"Um I can get my kids a little bit older and"},{"startTime":361.25,"endTime":363.66,"body":"then I can really focus on myself and my career."},{"startTime":363.67,"endTime":364.019,"body":"So I was"},{"startTime":364.17,"endTime":367.549,"body":"in this, in between phase of, of looking for that."},{"startTime":367.85,"endTime":368.39,"body":"And"},{"startTime":368.649,"endTime":371.489,"body":"on top of that, I'd heard a ton of recommendations."},{"startTime":371.5,"endTime":375.299,"body":"The University of Minnesota is a really, we're a huge employer in the state"},{"startTime":375.75,"endTime":377.489,"body":"over 20,000 employees."},{"startTime":377.66,"endTime":381.869,"body":"But it's, it's really regarded as just a fantastic place to work,"},{"startTime":382.44,"endTime":383.549,"body":"really good people there."},{"startTime":383.91,"endTime":386.2,"body":"I kept hearing it over and over again and was like, you know,"},{"startTime":386.209,"endTime":389.82,"body":"maybe this would be maybe this is kind of the change that I'm that I'm looking for."},{"startTime":389.829,"endTime":392.089,"body":"But when I looked at the job description, a lot of that, I was like,"},{"startTime":392.1,"endTime":393.73,"body":"this is the work that I love to do."},{"startTime":393.739,"endTime":398.649,"body":"I love the details. I love policy. I love data entry."},{"startTime":398.72,"endTime":401.929,"body":"It's kind of all these things kind of coming together and being able to,"},{"startTime":402.04,"endTime":403.42,"body":"to do those things."},{"startTime":403.579,"endTime":404.459,"body":"Ladies and gentlemen,"},{"startTime":404.47,"endTime":409.73,"body":"we found the person today is the day we found the person who loves data entry."},{"startTime":410.16,"endTime":410.85,"body":"-- So"},{"startTime":410.16,"endTime":410.85,"body":"-- I love"},{"startTime":411.04,"endTime":411.549,"body":"data entry and"},{"startTime":412.459,"endTime":414.109,"body":"I love paperwork."},{"startTime":415.299,"endTime":416.019,"body":"Genuinely."},{"startTime":416.26,"endTime":417.25,"body":"It's very satisfying."},{"startTime":418.299,"endTime":420.39,"body":"I appreciate you sharing some of your background."},{"startTime":420.399,"endTime":421.119,"body":"It is,"},{"startTime":421.13,"endTime":424.869,"body":"it helps to sort of contextualize uh some of the things that you're going"},{"startTime":424.88,"endTime":427.799,"body":"to talk about with in relation to vendors and that's why we're here."},{"startTime":427.989,"endTime":429.16,"body":"So let's jump in."},{"startTime":429.38,"endTime":430.64,"body":"I want to start"},{"startTime":430.809,"endTime":434.44,"body":"with your experience with your state and regional associations"},{"startTime":434.91,"endTime":440.42,"body":"and So Sarah, you were the vendor relations chair. What was the"},{"startTime":440.89,"endTime":443.359,"body":"corporate relations chair, corporate relations"},{"startTime":443.779,"endTime":444.279,"body":"liaison."},{"startTime":444.66,"endTime":448.559,"body":"We've got many different names. I don't know if we have an official one or not."},{"startTime":448.709,"endTime":450.619,"body":"What is that?"},{"startTime":450.89,"endTime":453.619,"body":"And what does that role do?"},{"startTime":454.07,"endTime":457.809,"body":"So, really, we're looking for money."},{"startTime":461.35,"endTime":463.549,"body":"I've got a proposition for you."},{"startTime":463.89,"endTime":466.6,"body":"We have a conference and we need support, right?"},{"startTime":466.609,"endTime":468.119,"body":"We don't want to put the financial burden"},{"startTime":468.13,"endTime":471.2,"body":"on just our members to support this conference."},{"startTime":471.209,"endTime":472.97,"body":"I mean, I'm, I'm being glib here. But"},{"startTime":473.1,"endTime":474.48,"body":"honestly, um"},{"startTime":475.91,"endTime":478.13,"body":"when you have those conferences,"},{"startTime":478.14,"endTime":480.69,"body":"the conference fees generally don't cover the entire"},{"startTime":480.7,"endTime":483.579,"body":"cost of food and the speakers and everything."},{"startTime":483.589,"endTime":484.1,"body":"And so"},{"startTime":484.66,"endTime":488.209,"body":"the corporate liaison or corporate relations chair"},{"startTime":488.42,"endTime":495.329,"body":"uh develops relationships with sponsors companies to sponsor the conference."},{"startTime":495.549,"endTime":500.779,"body":"We try to offer a value to those companies and allow them some,"},{"startTime":500.79,"endTime":503.54,"body":"some access to have conversations with"},{"startTime":503.73,"endTime":509.5,"body":"professionals in higher ed that they may not have on campuses, right? You get so many"},{"startTime":509.799,"endTime":513.59,"body":"from companies reaching out, say I'd love to set up time with you."},{"startTime":513.599,"endTime":515.39,"body":"And it's like, well, I'm busy, I don't want to set up time,"},{"startTime":515.4,"endTime":517.229,"body":"but when you're in a conference space and you just have"},{"startTime":517.239,"endTime":520.239,"body":"those conversations maybe over dinner or in the vendor hall,"},{"startTime":520.38,"endTime":523.95,"body":"it really opens up another opportunity for"},{"startTime":524.159,"endTime":525.03,"body":"access."},{"startTime":525.229,"endTime":528.15,"body":"This is such a fascinating insight into"},{"startTime":528.28,"endTime":531.349,"body":"the way conferences unfold too. Because"},{"startTime":531.609,"endTime":534.719,"body":"for me, I was going to conferences for years and years"},{"startTime":534.919,"endTime":537.38,"body":"before I realized what you just said is that"},{"startTime":537.51,"endTime":541.07,"body":"the vendors who are there and some of them are sponsoring and"},{"startTime":541.08,"endTime":546.239,"body":"so they pay monies and then they participate in that particular way."},{"startTime":546.25,"endTime":548.799,"body":"And it just never occurred to me as"},{"startTime":549.059,"endTime":550.719,"body":"a young way."},{"startTime":550.729,"endTime":555.84,"body":"We're talking way back now, way back as a young assistant registrar,"},{"startTime":555.909,"endTime":559.96,"body":"stumbling into a vendor hall, I was like, look at all the shiny."},{"startTime":560.159,"endTime":565.25,"body":"But when you say as the corporate relations person or the corporate liaison,"},{"startTime":565.26,"endTime":568.78,"body":"what is that when you start to develop"},{"startTime":568.789,"endTime":572.71,"body":"vendor relationships or relationships with potential sponsors?"},{"startTime":572.719,"endTime":575.039,"body":"And Colleen, you can jump in on this as well"},{"startTime":575.21,"endTime":578.38,"body":"because didn't you serve Colleen? Same role."},{"startTime":578.89,"endTime":584.64,"body":"Yes. So it's a, it's a three year term that you kind of uh well volunteer for."},{"startTime":584.809,"endTime":588.26,"body":"Um So Sarah was the chair and I believe Sarah you"},{"startTime":588.27,"endTime":590.229,"body":"were doing it for a long time on your own,"},{"startTime":590.239,"endTime":591.039,"body":"correct?"},{"startTime":591.049,"endTime":593.59,"body":"So I did it for three years on my own."},{"startTime":593.799,"endTime":596.919,"body":"And then when I met Colleen for the first time at a"},{"startTime":597.26,"endTime":600.789,"body":"Yaco conference, I saw something in her and I was like, that's,"},{"startTime":600.799,"endTime":602.469,"body":"that's who I'm passing this off to."},{"startTime":602.549,"endTime":602.7,"body":"So"},{"startTime":603.119,"endTime":604.03,"body":"the tiger."},{"startTime":606.19,"endTime":609.52,"body":"So let's go back to the question that I wanted to ask."},{"startTime":609.53,"endTime":611.989,"body":"And that is as a corporate relations person or"},{"startTime":612.0,"endTime":615.429,"body":"as a corporate liaison for a state and regional,"},{"startTime":615.719,"endTime":621.0,"body":"what is the process of engaging with potential sponsors look like?"},{"startTime":621.159,"endTime":626.109,"body":"So it's really about establishing a long lasting relationship"},{"startTime":626.469,"endTime":630.08,"body":"because when you do that, you don't have to start the process all over again."},{"startTime":630.09,"endTime":631.469,"body":"For the next year's conference."},{"startTime":631.96,"endTime":635.39,"body":"We have found that we're utilizing the other conferences."},{"startTime":635.4,"endTime":639.03,"body":"So like the National Acro as a jumping off point."},{"startTime":639.039,"endTime":642.96,"body":"So our regional conference is typically the last week of October"},{"startTime":643.21,"endTime":647.15,"body":"and Acro being held in April is a really good time"},{"startTime":647.38,"endTime":650.51,"body":"to be able to engage, give out, save the dates."},{"startTime":650.52,"endTime":654.03,"body":"Have those conversations of, hey, this is where it's going to be"},{"startTime":654.52,"endTime":658.75,"body":"really get in on their calendar because that's a huge conference month as well."},{"startTime":659.119,"endTime":659.469,"body":"The day"},{"startTime":659.599,"endTime":660.63,"body":"that we're talking about,"},{"startTime":660.64,"endTime":665.109,"body":"I'm sorry to interrupt the day that we're talking about is vendors are the"},{"startTime":665.419,"endTime":666.559,"body":"companies who are"},{"startTime":666.679,"endTime":668.469,"body":"there to present"},{"startTime":668.679,"endTime":669.299,"body":"their, we"},{"startTime":670.599,"endTime":670.75,"body":"got it."},{"startTime":671.059,"endTime":676.07,"body":"Yep. So just like our uh regional conference as Sarah mentioned,"},{"startTime":676.929,"endTime":677.01,"body":"um ma"},{"startTime":677.289,"endTime":682.2,"body":"or Acro also has vendors that come and help sponsor the event."},{"startTime":682.549,"endTime":683.0,"body":"They,"},{"startTime":683.01,"endTime":684.33,"body":"I would imagine that they have a little bit of"},{"startTime":684.34,"endTime":688.479,"body":"a larger budget than our um regional um conferences."},{"startTime":690.08,"endTime":690.57,"body":"Exactly. Who knows?"},{"startTime":691.03,"endTime":692.58,"body":"I haven't seen those numbers. So who knows?"},{"startTime":692.9,"endTime":696.44,"body":"But vendors are an essential part."},{"startTime":696.854,"endTime":700.635,"body":"Yes, for the financial piece, especially for the smaller conferences."},{"startTime":700.815,"endTime":704.414,"body":"But it is a huge mutual opportunity for vendors to be"},{"startTime":704.424,"endTime":707.784,"body":"able to connect with current clients or potential future clients,"},{"startTime":707.835,"endTime":712.364,"body":"see what the other competitors are doing and have those conversations."},{"startTime":712.534,"endTime":716.094,"body":"Um and then have an opportunity to get feedback from"},{"startTime":716.59,"endTime":717.58,"body":"their users."},{"startTime":717.809,"endTime":718.53,"body":"And that's,"},{"startTime":718.539,"endTime":721.89,"body":"that's really one of the most valuable things that I think Sarah and I have"},{"startTime":721.9,"endTime":727.4,"body":"found in this process is being able to have that mutual dynamic back and forth."},{"startTime":727.599,"endTime":728.5,"body":"This did not answer"},{"startTime":728.76,"endTime":729.2,"body":"and I just wanted"},{"startTime":729.83,"endTime":734.26,"body":"it did we'll talk more about um providing feedback and having"},{"startTime":734.27,"endTime":738.15,"body":"those 1 to 1 engagement as a participant with the vendor."},{"startTime":738.359,"endTime":744.27,"body":"But I want to stick on the sort of corporate liaison, corporate chair,"},{"startTime":744.359,"endTime":747.909,"body":"sponsorship of things for the moment."},{"startTime":748.21,"endTime":754.179,"body":"How does someone become involved with the corporate relations"},{"startTime":754.19,"endTime":757.19,"body":"or corporate liaison work that you're talking about?"},{"startTime":757.289,"endTime":761.349,"body":"You can reach out to your state or regional organizations,"},{"startTime":761.359,"endTime":764.989,"body":"uh executive committee and tell them you want to volunteer."},{"startTime":765.51,"endTime":767.13,"body":"And that's probably it"},{"startTime":768.46,"endTime":768.979,"body":"probably like,"},{"startTime":769.159,"endTime":769.71,"body":"thank you,"},{"startTime":771.44,"endTime":773.789,"body":"volunteer organizations need so many volunteers, right?"},{"startTime":774.859,"endTime":777.28,"body":"Um I think a lot of the,"},{"startTime":777.289,"endTime":781.5,"body":"a lot of the setup of the committees of the regional have something similar to this."},{"startTime":781.669,"endTime":783.96,"body":"If they don't, then once again,"},{"startTime":783.969,"endTime":786.159,"body":"this conversation is for you of the importance"},{"startTime":786.169,"endTime":790.219,"body":"of having somebody dedicated to that role and to"},{"startTime":790.46,"endTime":794.679,"body":"engaging in those vendors or with those vendors, having those relationships,"},{"startTime":794.69,"endTime":797.159,"body":"establishing them so that they want to come back."},{"startTime":797.38,"endTime":801.09,"body":"Um And really being the piece that's communicating what"},{"startTime":801.099,"endTime":804.4,"body":"the benefit of their attendance at your conference is,"},{"startTime":804.585,"endTime":808.854,"body":"which is benefit for you is yes, that financial support,"},{"startTime":808.994,"endTime":809.445,"body":"but again,"},{"startTime":809.455,"endTime":812.614,"body":"it also opens up a lot of other opportunities"},{"startTime":812.625,"endTime":815.994,"body":"for um just relationship building on both ends."},{"startTime":816.255,"endTime":821.554,"body":"So the corporate relations role is really about engaging with those vendors"},{"startTime":821.775,"endTime":825.135,"body":"and kind of selling them on why attending your conference over all of the"},{"startTime":825.145,"endTime":828.635,"body":"other invitations that they receive is really a good use of their time."},{"startTime":829.145,"endTime":834.034,"body":"And Sarah, you have talked about some of the unique or fun ways that you"},{"startTime":834.26,"endTime":837.119,"body":"have made vendor participation."},{"startTime":837.19,"endTime":839.979,"body":"So sort of more meaningful or more beneficial for the vendors."},{"startTime":839.989,"endTime":843.989,"body":"Could you share some of those ideas in case people are listening and they're like,"},{"startTime":844.0,"endTime":844.559,"body":"OK,"},{"startTime":844.59,"endTime":846.869,"body":"we want to make this good for the vendors because"},{"startTime":846.88,"endTime":848.369,"body":"we want to have a good relationship with them."},{"startTime":848.559,"endTime":853.28,"body":"What does that look like? How, how do you engage with vendors at the conference"},{"startTime":853.429,"endTime":858.08,"body":"as the corporate relations person? Not as just a person attending the conference?"},{"startTime":858.21,"endTime":859.489,"body":"What do you do for the vendors?"},{"startTime":859.5,"endTime":863.96,"body":"What do you have them do to either get their name out or to participate in some way?"},{"startTime":864.45,"endTime":867.099,"body":"I, I think even before the conference starts,"},{"startTime":867.109,"endTime":870.549,"body":"one of the most valuable things that Colleen and I did was"},{"startTime":870.559,"endTime":874.07,"body":"set up a 30 minute meeting with each company and whoever,"},{"startTime":874.08,"endTime":876.469,"body":"whichever representatives they wanted to send, right?"},{"startTime":876.479,"endTime":878.359,"body":"It might be their sales people, it might be"},{"startTime":878.52,"endTime":880.82,"body":"their marketing team, whoever it is,"},{"startTime":881.02,"endTime":883.65,"body":"whoever they're sending and probably a few more people,"},{"startTime":883.84,"endTime":889.38,"body":"we took an opportunity to just introduce ourselves, open the dialogue"},{"startTime":889.494,"endTime":895.135,"body":"and give them an overview of what the, what will happen at the conference break down."},{"startTime":895.145,"endTime":895.835,"body":"You know, each day."},{"startTime":895.844,"endTime":898.674,"body":"This, this is what we expect of you while you're here,"},{"startTime":898.684,"endTime":902.565,"body":"whether you're sponsoring us or you're just a, you've got a table,"},{"startTime":902.575,"endTime":904.715,"body":"you paid for a table to set up."},{"startTime":904.724,"endTime":906.734,"body":"We got really positive feedback from that."},{"startTime":906.744,"endTime":909.614,"body":"So I would absolutely recommend anyone in this role,"},{"startTime":909.625,"endTime":914.434,"body":"just spend 30 minutes with each company and develop that relationship with them."},{"startTime":914.719,"endTime":918.469,"body":"We you keep hearing us say relationship building and developing"},{"startTime":918.479,"endTime":922.169,"body":"relationships because that's really what this role focuses on."},{"startTime":923.119,"endTime":927.9,"body":"The first night of of each conference. We like to have"},{"startTime":928.119,"endTime":931.359,"body":"each vendor have a two minute elevator pitch ready."},{"startTime":931.369,"endTime":933.539,"body":"So they get up in front of the crowd"},{"startTime":933.719,"endTime":937.059,"body":"and just put their face to our members and"},{"startTime":937.07,"endTime":939.479,"body":"give a quick overview of what their company does."},{"startTime":940.21,"endTime":942.69,"body":"They also vendors seem to find a lot of value to that."},{"startTime":942.7,"endTime":946.59,"body":"But also so do our members because maybe, oh I have a question about transcripts."},{"startTime":946.599,"endTime":949.96,"body":"I know who I wanna zero in and talk to."},{"startTime":949.969,"endTime":953.75,"body":"I hear there's two companies here that are gonna talk about transcripts and,"},{"startTime":953.76,"endTime":955.909,"body":"and I know who to look for."},{"startTime":956.429,"endTime":959.229,"body":"So another thing we do is"},{"startTime":959.5,"endTime":963.489,"body":"when we work with the program committee"},{"startTime":963.909,"endTime":967.03,"body":"in our or not the program committee, the, the local arrange,"},{"startTime":967.039,"endTime":968.83,"body":"we call it local arrangements committee,"},{"startTime":969.099,"endTime":972.15,"body":"the people who are setting up the actual conference in the physical space,"},{"startTime":972.159,"endTime":973.559,"body":"we try to connect with them"},{"startTime":973.869,"endTime":976.82,"body":"and make sure that our vendor partners"},{"startTime":976.94,"endTime":980.77,"body":"have visible space. We're not, we don't wanna shut their"},{"startTime":980.95,"endTime":983.63,"body":"tables in a room somewhere where our members have"},{"startTime":983.64,"endTime":986.15,"body":"to like trickle in to go find them and"},{"startTime":986.7,"endTime":991.07,"body":"pretty easy to avoid the vendor hall when you have to go into another room."},{"startTime":991.159,"endTime":995.989,"body":"But other times we've put them in a hallway or we've put"},{"startTime":996.0,"endTime":999.309,"body":"the food and drink area sort of very close where they ended"},{"startTime":999.57,"endTime":1001.929,"body":"traffic. So they have to go through,"},{"startTime":1002.369,"endTime":1008.429,"body":"uh and see the vendors and it just makes it a lot more comfortable for our members to"},{"startTime":1008.57,"endTime":1011.719,"body":"check things out and, and to have those conversations."},{"startTime":1011.919,"endTime":1012.52,"body":"Nice."},{"startTime":1012.94,"endTime":1014.65,"body":"Let's talk now about"},{"startTime":1015.09,"endTime":1018.57,"body":"sometimes people feel anxious talking to a vendor."},{"startTime":1018.7,"endTime":1022.109,"body":"And you've given some examples about ways that you can sort of"},{"startTime":1022.229,"endTime":1027.03,"body":"introduce vendors and give people an opportunity to be like, oh, ok,"},{"startTime":1027.04,"endTime":1030.108,"body":"I I need to talk to either them or them or both of them"},{"startTime":1030.4,"endTime":1033.39,"body":"and not those other vendors because that's not a thing."},{"startTime":1033.848,"endTime":1041.279,"body":"Let's talk a little bit about strategies for an individual who may feel overwhelmed"},{"startTime":1041.288,"endTime":1045.917,"body":"walking into a vendor hall because they're not used to talking to a vendor."},{"startTime":1045.928,"endTime":1048.639,"body":"Maybe this is their first time at a conference and it is,"},{"startTime":1048.889,"endTime":1050.678,"body":"it can be intense when you walk in,"},{"startTime":1050.688,"endTime":1053.56,"body":"especially if you go to Acro for the first time and walk into the vendor"},{"startTime":1053.569,"endTime":1058.119,"body":"hall and it's literally wall to wall and to end of this huge space."},{"startTime":1058.479,"endTime":1061.68,"body":"How do you recommend people"},{"startTime":1061.8,"endTime":1065.359,"body":"navigate that experience in order to make it"},{"startTime":1065.369,"endTime":1069.099,"body":"meaningful and beneficial for both their own takeaways?"},{"startTime":1069.109,"endTime":1071.92,"body":"And then also uh from the vendor perspective,"},{"startTime":1072.339,"endTime":1075.359,"body":"I think there's two components to that. So"},{"startTime":1075.63,"endTime":1077.28,"body":"first and foremost,"},{"startTime":1077.739,"endTime":1082.26,"body":"I think it's breaking down for people. Why vendors are actually there?"},{"startTime":1082.27,"endTime":1084.619,"body":"Because I think there's a lot of misconception"},{"startTime":1084.869,"endTime":1085.68,"body":"about"},{"startTime":1085.859,"endTime":1087.75,"body":"vendors presence to begin with."},{"startTime":1087.93,"endTime":1091.959,"body":"And I think there's a lot of association which is very"},{"startTime":1091.969,"endTime":1095.78,"body":"understandable that it's more in that sales space that like mall"},{"startTime":1096.119,"endTime":1099.829,"body":"kiosk type of feel of like, no, I don't want hair extension right now."},{"startTime":1099.839,"endTime":1104.329,"body":"Like I'm just trying to go and buy some shoes. No, thank you."},{"startTime":1104.66,"endTime":1105.239,"body":"But"},{"startTime":1105.479,"endTime":1106.39,"body":"changing"},{"startTime":1106.63,"endTime":1108.43,"body":"individuals viewpoints of that,"},{"startTime":1108.63,"endTime":1113.4,"body":"that it's not, this space is not that it is not a transactional."},{"startTime":1113.439,"endTime":1115.109,"body":"I'm trying to sell you something and then"},{"startTime":1115.119,"endTime":1116.939,"body":"the relationship's over because you've bought it and"},{"startTime":1116.949,"endTime":1120.869,"body":"I've got my commission and I can move on with my day and find the next individual"},{"startTime":1121.41,"endTime":1122.699,"body":"and our vendors know that"},{"startTime":1122.849,"endTime":1125.969,"body":"so higher education is, is unique in the way"},{"startTime":1126.14,"endTime":1127.66,"body":"that it's one of those industries that our"},{"startTime":1127.67,"endTime":1130.51,"body":"relationships with the vendors are really long lasting."},{"startTime":1130.739,"endTime":1133.52,"body":"So if you're anything like the public university"},{"startTime":1133.53,"endTime":1135.43,"body":"that I work for the University of Minnesota,"},{"startTime":1135.439,"endTime":1137.42,"body":"we are huge, we are decentralized"},{"startTime":1137.579,"endTime":1140.979,"body":"and despite our best efforts, things move kind of slowly."},{"startTime":1141.119,"endTime":1143.9,"body":"So even our contract negotiation process"},{"startTime":1144.079,"endTime":1144.91,"body":"is very"},{"startTime":1145.146,"endTime":1145.636,"body":"long."},{"startTime":1145.916,"endTime":1146.577,"body":"So"},{"startTime":1146.916,"endTime":1149.817,"body":"before you even get to the space where you have a vendor and"},{"startTime":1149.827,"endTime":1152.317,"body":"you're going to be working with that vendor for your contract term,"},{"startTime":1152.327,"endTime":1154.776,"body":"which can be oftentimes three or five years,"},{"startTime":1154.847,"endTime":1157.717,"body":"you're there's a whole lot of engagement before that time."},{"startTime":1157.796,"endTime":1162.067,"body":"So this is not a few minute interaction and you never see the person again."},{"startTime":1162.077,"endTime":1165.246,"body":"So I think that's really important to remember because when it,"},{"startTime":1165.327,"endTime":1167.376,"body":"when the vendors enter this space,"},{"startTime":1167.557,"endTime":1168.516,"body":"they're not expecting"},{"startTime":1168.624,"endTime":1171.504,"body":"sale, they're not expecting to sell you three carburetors."},{"startTime":1171.514,"endTime":1173.453,"body":"And if you get the fourth, then like make them more"},{"startTime":1173.614,"endTime":1173.843,"body":"money."},{"startTime":1174.963,"endTime":1175.413,"body":"And they,"},{"startTime":1175.423,"endTime":1178.264,"body":"and they also don't attend these conferences with the belief of"},{"startTime":1178.274,"endTime":1181.423,"body":"signing a contract either because they know how higher ed works"},{"startTime":1181.624,"endTime":1185.043,"body":"and they know that the people that are in there are not going to be. Yes, let's do this."},{"startTime":1185.463,"endTime":1187.764,"body":"They, they are so well aware of that"},{"startTime":1188.114,"endTime":1192.124,"body":"and for them, they are there also relationship building and"},{"startTime":1192.23,"endTime":1196.61,"body":"being a point of conversation and the opportunity for"},{"startTime":1196.62,"endTime":1199.161,"body":"feedback from people that actually use their product."},{"startTime":1199.25,"endTime":1202.14,"body":"So it's not to say that individuals who are making the business decisions at"},{"startTime":1202.151,"endTime":1204.061,"body":"your institution aren't also using the product"},{"startTime":1204.071,"endTime":1205.651,"body":"because if they're not directly using it,"},{"startTime":1205.661,"endTime":1206.461,"body":"they're impacted by it."},{"startTime":1206.47,"endTime":1208.461,"body":"They at least are familiar in some space, right?"},{"startTime":1208.86,"endTime":1210.051,"body":"And, and these,"},{"startTime":1210.061,"endTime":1213.431,"body":"these technologies have to function in a way for everything else to work,"},{"startTime":1213.441,"endTime":1215.73,"body":"for executive leadership to do the work that they're doing."},{"startTime":1216.209,"endTime":1218.29,"body":"Um So everybody's impacted, but"},{"startTime":1218.489,"endTime":1220.439,"body":"this love fall up here."},{"startTime":1220.449,"endTime":1222.939,"body":"Um And I'm talking with my hands, which is not gonna be helpful because you're"},{"startTime":1223.16,"endTime":1223.42,"body":"listening with your"},{"startTime":1223.619,"endTime":1223.869,"body":"chairs."},{"startTime":1224.229,"endTime":1224.25,"body":"So"},{"startTime":1224.41,"endTime":1227.28,"body":"just imagine me talking with my hands a lot."},{"startTime":1227.439,"endTime":1228.979,"body":"But when you're in that executive"},{"startTime":1228.989,"endTime":1232.069,"body":"leadership space and you're not necessarily seeing"},{"startTime":1232.079,"endTime":1235.92,"body":"a pain point of a new upgrade and a feature that was lost,"},{"startTime":1235.93,"endTime":1239.8,"body":"that now dramatically impacts you and your team's ability to do your work."},{"startTime":1239.81,"endTime":1241.41,"body":"This is an opportunity"},{"startTime":1241.55,"endTime":1243.199,"body":"to have that conversation and to act,"},{"startTime":1243.415,"endTime":1244.045,"body":"say"},{"startTime":1244.234,"endTime":1245.494,"body":"to a vendor,"},{"startTime":1245.694,"endTime":1246.454,"body":"hey,"},{"startTime":1246.584,"endTime":1251.574,"body":"you guys removed this feature and this is like a massive pain point."},{"startTime":1251.824,"endTime":1253.645,"body":"And have you heard that from other people?"},{"startTime":1253.655,"endTime":1256.165,"body":"And I cannot tell you how many times I've had a vendor be like, oh my gosh,"},{"startTime":1256.175,"endTime":1257.204,"body":"we just started hearing this."},{"startTime":1257.214,"endTime":1259.444,"body":"We didn't even realize like, thank you"},{"startTime":1259.555,"endTime":1261.244,"body":"that that's a very real experience."},{"startTime":1261.255,"endTime":1264.885,"body":"So in answer to your question, like understanding why they're there,"},{"startTime":1264.895,"endTime":1269.265,"body":"I think brings the anxiety down because people enter it as being like no eye contact,"},{"startTime":1269.275,"endTime":1270.405,"body":"they're going to try to sell me all this"},{"startTime":1271.16,"endTime":1273.53,"body":"and it's so stressful and it it really is."},{"startTime":1273.54,"endTime":1275.13,"body":"And as an extroverted person,"},{"startTime":1275.14,"endTime":1278.38,"body":"I can find it really stressful because what is the value in this for me?"},{"startTime":1278.39,"endTime":1281.109,"body":"Like I I truly am trying to get through my day"},{"startTime":1281.28,"endTime":1283.41,"body":"conferences are exceptionally busy."},{"startTime":1283.42,"endTime":1286.81,"body":"A lot of us are also still working, checking emails,"},{"startTime":1286.819,"endTime":1288.77,"body":"maybe we need to check in with our family."},{"startTime":1288.78,"endTime":1292.089,"body":"We're connecting with friends from other institutions that we haven't seen."},{"startTime":1292.31,"endTime":1295.0,"body":"And so the vendor hall often falls like that's very, very,"},{"startTime":1295.01,"endTime":1297.67,"body":"very at the end of a lot of people's priority."},{"startTime":1298.145,"endTime":1301.625,"body":"So what we really want to bring to light in this conversation is like"},{"startTime":1301.635,"endTime":1305.875,"body":"there is so much value there if you can one understand why they're there."},{"startTime":1305.944,"endTime":1309.525,"body":"And then give you some tips and tricks to bring"},{"startTime":1309.535,"endTime":1313.464,"body":"yourself into that space knowing what the benefit is."},{"startTime":1313.694,"endTime":1315.155,"body":"Um And I think Sarah can really speak to."},{"startTime":1315.165,"endTime":1318.135,"body":"She had some really good tips that we've talked about of"},{"startTime":1318.145,"endTime":1320.685,"body":"just bringing that anxiety down and just kind of like some,"},{"startTime":1320.694,"endTime":1324.814,"body":"some starters and some plans that if that space is really overwhelming"},{"startTime":1325.77,"endTime":1326.75,"body":"and Colleen,"},{"startTime":1326.76,"endTime":1328.9,"body":"I just want to echo your point about end"},{"startTime":1328.91,"endTime":1333.14,"body":"user feedback to people besides the help desk,"},{"startTime":1333.15,"endTime":1333.56,"body":"right?"},{"startTime":1333.569,"endTime":1336.81,"body":"You're not just submitting a ticket to some random help desk."},{"startTime":1336.819,"endTime":1339.599,"body":"You're you're talking to a sales rep who has"},{"startTime":1339.609,"endTime":1342.209,"body":"a vested interest in making sure that you're happy"},{"startTime":1342.42,"endTime":1345.02,"body":"and sometimes that can get along further."},{"startTime":1345.479,"endTime":1347.829,"body":"I think that was a really good point. As far as"},{"startTime":1348.4,"endTime":1351.589,"body":"when you're going into the vendor hall, I think"},{"startTime":1351.959,"endTime":1354.979,"body":"the first thing you want to do is level"},{"startTime":1354.989,"endTime":1358.5,"body":"set that this is a really low stakes conversation,"},{"startTime":1358.51,"endTime":1358.859,"body":"right?"},{"startTime":1358.869,"endTime":1362.06,"body":"Vendors are having these sales conversations and they don't"},{"startTime":1362.069,"endTime":1364.239,"body":"even maybe they don't even consider them sales conversations,"},{"startTime":1364.25,"endTime":1366.989,"body":"just they're having conversations all the time with people."},{"startTime":1367.069,"endTime":1369.41,"body":"Conference attendees may not be in that space"},{"startTime":1369.42,"endTime":1372.219,"body":"where they're talking to sales people and their,"},{"startTime":1372.229,"endTime":1375.459,"body":"their normal jobs as registrars or admissions professionals,"},{"startTime":1375.469,"endTime":1379.66,"body":"they may not be having sales conversations but vendors are all the time."},{"startTime":1379.939,"endTime":1384.869,"body":"And as Colleen said, there is no expectation that you're signing a contract."},{"startTime":1384.88,"endTime":1386.969,"body":"It's just a conversation. So"},{"startTime":1387.119,"endTime":1390.67,"body":"walking in with a level head that there's no pressure,"},{"startTime":1390.68,"endTime":1392.469,"body":"I think is the first thing you wanna do."},{"startTime":1392.859,"endTime":1394.609,"body":"I think it's also important to remember."},{"startTime":1394.619,"endTime":1398.949,"body":"This is a low stakes opportunity to find out more on a topic that you might not know"},{"startTime":1398.959,"endTime":1402.579,"body":"enough about or a company or a competitor to"},{"startTime":1402.589,"endTime":1405.369,"body":"a vendor that you're already using at your institution."},{"startTime":1405.51,"endTime":1406.63,"body":"Maybe you're using"},{"startTime":1407.03,"endTime":1409.609,"body":"one degree audit company"},{"startTime":1409.829,"endTime":1412.569,"body":"and you love them, but maybe there are some pain points."},{"startTime":1412.579,"endTime":1416.26,"body":"And so if you get some ideas from another and how they handle things,"},{"startTime":1416.469,"endTime":1419.599,"body":"you can bring that information back to your company, or maybe it's"},{"startTime":1419.88,"endTime":1422.39,"body":"maybe you learn some cool tricks that you had"},{"startTime":1422.4,"endTime":1424.439,"body":"no idea about just because you're having a conversation"},{"startTime":1424.709,"endTime":1425.53,"body":"with an expert"},{"startTime":1426.239,"endTime":1430.26,"body":"way back in the first season for the record. Tom Black,"},{"startTime":1430.51,"endTime":1432.25,"body":"the Beyonce of Registrars"},{"startTime":1432.469,"endTime":1437.06,"body":"was on and he said just that he was like, I,"},{"startTime":1437.069,"endTime":1440.609,"body":"I asked him how he stays current with sort of technology and"},{"startTime":1440.619,"endTime":1444.52,"body":"advancements and especially as things are moving as quickly as they are."},{"startTime":1444.53,"endTime":1445.39,"body":"And he said at"},{"startTime":1445.589,"endTime":1447.709,"body":"every conference, I go talk to vendors"},{"startTime":1447.989,"endTime":1449.77,"body":"and I ask them what they're working on."},{"startTime":1449.78,"endTime":1456.439,"body":"I asked them sort of what's coming up and I sort of get a feel for where they are in,"},{"startTime":1456.449,"endTime":1457.93,"body":"in their development and"},{"startTime":1458.3,"endTime":1461.26,"body":"without indicating that he's interested in purchasing something."},{"startTime":1461.469,"endTime":1467.349,"body":"And so he just wants to know what people are working on and what's new and what's,"},{"startTime":1467.54,"endTime":1468.9,"body":"what's coming down the pike."},{"startTime":1469.069,"endTime":1475.079,"body":"So I think this idea that you can go into the vendor hall"},{"startTime":1475.15,"endTime":1480.67,"body":"and engage with vendors in a meaningful way straight from the from go"},{"startTime":1480.829,"endTime":1482.349,"body":"with. This is not,"},{"startTime":1482.479,"endTime":1485.51,"body":"this conversation will not result in a sale,"},{"startTime":1485.569,"endTime":1491.29,"body":"I think is enormously helpful for people to realize and to"},{"startTime":1491.4,"endTime":1493.31,"body":"really let that sink in."},{"startTime":1493.54,"endTime":1496.51,"body":"So that's a fantastic starter point."},{"startTime":1497.28,"endTime":1501.489,"body":"What are other ways or other strategies that you might"},{"startTime":1501.619,"endTime":1504.849,"body":"suggest for people, especially people as Colleen,"},{"startTime":1504.859,"endTime":1507.359,"body":"you pointed out like conferences are draining."},{"startTime":1507.459,"endTime":1511.81,"body":"And so if you have a limited social battery"},{"startTime":1512.099,"endTime":1516.959,"body":"and you need to portion it out in particular ways across the conference day,"},{"startTime":1517.209,"endTime":1522.41,"body":"but you know that the vendor hall is there and you have questions for whoever."},{"startTime":1522.459,"endTime":1524.41,"body":"What do you suggest to those people?"},{"startTime":1524.739,"endTime":1529.31,"body":"I think one really great tactic that Sarah and I have talked about is like"},{"startTime":1529.449,"endTime":1530.92,"body":"making just a plan."},{"startTime":1531.189,"endTime":1535.989,"body":"There are all sorts of helpful maps on the conference app that show you what the"},{"startTime":1536.0,"endTime":1538.81,"body":"vendor hall space looks like and essentially taking"},{"startTime":1538.819,"endTime":1540.88,"body":"a few minutes to just scope things out"},{"startTime":1541.02,"endTime":1542.29,"body":"and say, all right,"},{"startTime":1542.689,"endTime":1544.89,"body":"we don't even engage in this space."},{"startTime":1544.9,"endTime":1548.67,"body":"I don't need to, I don't, I don't need to visit the commencement table."},{"startTime":1548.68,"endTime":1550.359,"body":"Like my office doesn't handle commencement."},{"startTime":1550.439,"endTime":1552.41,"body":"I don't have any particular interest in it."},{"startTime":1552.589,"endTime":1553.91,"body":"Um So I'm not going to look at that,"},{"startTime":1553.92,"endTime":1558.255,"body":"but here's some spaces or vendors that we do look at and set yourself a time limit."},{"startTime":1558.265,"endTime":1560.395,"body":"Say I'm, I'm going to spend 15 minutes"},{"startTime":1560.785,"endTime":1561.694,"body":"and that is it."},{"startTime":1561.834,"endTime":1562.474,"body":"And then"},{"startTime":1562.625,"endTime":1565.594,"body":"you can either decide to re engage at another time or not."},{"startTime":1565.744,"endTime":1565.844,"body":"Um,"},{"startTime":1565.854,"endTime":1567.915,"body":"but setting just kind of that time limit and making"},{"startTime":1567.925,"endTime":1571.505,"body":"a plan really just breaks down how overwhelming it can be"},{"startTime":1571.704,"endTime":1574.435,"body":"because there are, there's a lot of people, it's loud"},{"startTime":1574.734,"endTime":1579.074,"body":"but there's often the snacks and the food too are in this space"},{"startTime":1579.194,"endTime":1579.224,"body":"and"},{"startTime":1579.795,"endTime":1580.744,"body":"the swag."},{"startTime":1581.349,"endTime":1584.859,"body":"Yeah. Well, I mean, we, we were going to get to the swag. We have not gotten to this."},{"startTime":1585.16,"endTime":1587.239,"body":"Yeah, but absolutely the swag is coming."},{"startTime":1587.52,"endTime":1589.819,"body":"But you know, sometimes even just going and like"},{"startTime":1589.989,"endTime":1592.099,"body":"truly getting yourself a snack"},{"startTime":1592.53,"endTime":1594.589,"body":"and scouting things out. Making a plan"},{"startTime":1594.699,"endTime":1596.9,"body":"and then giving yourself permission to be"},{"startTime":1596.91,"endTime":1600.02,"body":"done is definitely important in that space"},{"startTime":1600.369,"endTime":1604.04,"body":"for registrars. We plan things out and then we document it right."},{"startTime":1604.05,"endTime":1607.425,"body":"You're gonna plan where you're gonna go, you're gonna take some notes on"},{"startTime":1607.574,"endTime":1611.094,"body":"companies you want to engage with and come up with a"},{"startTime":1611.104,"endTime":1613.704,"body":"couple of questions in advance that are just open ended."},{"startTime":1613.714,"endTime":1615.125,"body":"Easy questions."},{"startTime":1615.295,"endTime":1616.685,"body":"Tell me more about"},{"startTime":1616.964,"endTime":1622.114,"body":"the catalog your company produces. Tell me more about this. Tell me more about that"},{"startTime":1622.334,"endTime":1625.905,"body":"and then let them do most of the talking. Honestly. It's gonna be pretty easy."},{"startTime":1625.915,"endTime":1630.344,"body":"If you're introverted, just ask a question and let someone spiral out on it."},{"startTime":1631.055,"endTime":1632.244,"body":"Let's get to the wag."},{"startTime":1632.67,"endTime":1635.78,"body":"Do you feel bad walking through the vendor hall and"},{"startTime":1635.79,"endTime":1640.569,"body":"grabbing some like the little notebooks or the squishy balls or"},{"startTime":1640.699,"endTime":1642.54,"body":"a pen or anything like that?"},{"startTime":1643.199,"endTime":1648.219,"body":"I think some people do I initially had reservations like Doug, as you mentioned,"},{"startTime":1648.229,"endTime":1653.349,"body":"if you haven't been to like acro specifically before, in your first venture there,"},{"startTime":1653.449,"endTime":1653.459,"body":"I,"},{"startTime":1653.469,"endTime":1655.739,"body":"I hesitate to use the word overwhelming because I feel"},{"startTime":1655.75,"endTime":1658.239,"body":"like that does have such a negative connotation to it,"},{"startTime":1658.449,"endTime":1660.14,"body":"but I can't think of a better one"},{"startTime":1660.439,"endTime":1662.92,"body":"of that. It's like, positively overwhelming. Like it's"},{"startTime":1663.31,"endTime":1664.859,"body":"wonderful experience."},{"startTime":1665.01,"endTime":1667.869,"body":"-- It's"},{"startTime":1665.01,"endTime":1667.869,"body":"-- a gentle assault on your senses."},{"startTime":1672.4,"endTime":1672.589,"body":"It's"},{"startTime":1673.099,"endTime":1674.64,"body":"uncharted territory. Maybe that's the best"},{"startTime":1674.819,"endTime":1674.839,"body":"you."},{"startTime":1675.319,"endTime":1675.849,"body":"It's just"},{"startTime":1675.989,"endTime":1676.209,"body":"it's"},{"startTime":1676.88,"endTime":1676.91,"body":"that"},{"startTime":1677.77,"endTime":1679.329,"body":"in that uncharted territory."},{"startTime":1679.339,"endTime":1682.31,"body":"Yeah, you can't, you just don't really know what to expect."},{"startTime":1682.459,"endTime":1687.229,"body":"And so in the beginning, it was kind of like, can I take this and they're like, please?"},{"startTime":1687.25,"endTime":1689.64,"body":"So I think something that's really helpful is that if you"},{"startTime":1689.65,"endTime":1691.729,"body":"visit the vendor hall at the end of the conference,"},{"startTime":1692.06,"endTime":1695.92,"body":"they are like, I have to ship this back and I don't want to,"},{"startTime":1695.93,"endTime":1697.81,"body":"I don't want to have to put this in my bag."},{"startTime":1697.819,"endTime":1702.609,"body":"Like they are actually like here, I will dump out like this bowl of pens into your,"},{"startTime":1702.63,"endTime":1703.849,"body":"you know, welcome bag."},{"startTime":1704.14,"endTime":1708.319,"body":"So if you think about it from that perspective that no, they truly are trying to,"},{"startTime":1708.329,"endTime":1710.329,"body":"to move these things along, like"},{"startTime":1710.709,"endTime":1713.04,"body":"there is an aspect of this that is just marketing"},{"startTime":1713.15,"endTime":1714.93,"body":"and having your name on things like pens"},{"startTime":1714.939,"endTime":1717.689,"body":"and books and different stuff brings brand awareness"},{"startTime":1717.91,"endTime":1720.119,"body":"-- because"},{"startTime":1717.91,"endTime":1720.119,"body":"-- you bring those back to your institution,"},{"startTime":1720.13,"endTime":1723.0,"body":"you've got them on your desk or you give to your staff your staff"},{"startTime":1723.01,"endTime":1726.39,"body":"gives them to somebody else and somebody else three months later is like,"},{"startTime":1726.4,"endTime":1726.859,"body":"huh,"},{"startTime":1727.079,"endTime":1731.359,"body":"it's got a company name and a URL. So let's check it out"},{"startTime":1731.92,"endTime":1732.479,"body":"-- kind"},{"startTime":1731.92,"endTime":1732.479,"body":"-- of a thing."},{"startTime":1733.619,"endTime":1737.229,"body":"I don't think you need to have an MB A to understand marketing budgets, right?"},{"startTime":1737.239,"endTime":1740.39,"body":"These companies have marketing budgets and they want to spend it."},{"startTime":1740.4,"endTime":1744.849,"body":"And as Colleen mentioned, like the shipping back is a pain for them. And"},{"startTime":1744.979,"endTime":1749.39,"body":"that brings me back to having those 30 minute conversations with each company."},{"startTime":1749.4,"endTime":1750.989,"body":"One of the things"},{"startTime":1751.135,"endTime":1756.935,"body":"the one of the biggest needs they had was how do I get my cases and gear to the hotel?"},{"startTime":1756.944,"endTime":1758.035,"body":"How do I pick it up later?"},{"startTime":1758.045,"endTime":1760.635,"body":"It's something I didn't realize that would even be an issue, right?"},{"startTime":1760.645,"endTime":1764.515,"body":"But negotiating that, where, where do they send their stuff?"},{"startTime":1764.525,"endTime":1765.734,"body":"Who's going to watch it?"},{"startTime":1765.854,"endTime":1768.795,"body":"How do they ship it out later? So just keep that in mind, I guess"},{"startTime":1769.375,"endTime":1770.135,"body":"that again,"},{"startTime":1770.145,"endTime":1772.875,"body":"a fascinating tidbit of logistics that I"},{"startTime":1772.885,"endTime":1775.834,"body":"have never spent a single moment contemplating."},{"startTime":1775.844,"endTime":1777.675,"body":"I just thought like they"},{"startTime":1777.864,"endTime":1779.755,"body":"rolled it in and set it up."},{"startTime":1780.239,"endTime":1781.16,"body":"That's crazy."},{"startTime":1781.76,"endTime":1782.4,"body":"You got it."},{"startTime":1782.41,"endTime":1786.38,"body":"Does the hotel offer those services or do you need to find a fedex location for them?"},{"startTime":1786.39,"endTime":1788.26,"body":"That's close by so that they're prepared?"},{"startTime":1788.43,"endTime":1791.209,"body":"One thing that we did find is that typically because I agree with you. Do"},{"startTime":1791.41,"endTime":1791.8,"body":"we,"},{"startTime":1792.03,"endTime":1795.4,"body":"when we first got this question, I was like, what? I don't know."},{"startTime":1796.599,"endTime":1798.15,"body":"Good question. I don't know."},{"startTime":1798.939,"endTime":1800.319,"body":"The hotels do"},{"startTime":1801.01,"endTime":1804.719,"body":"other than having guests stay at their hotel, they put on events and conferences."},{"startTime":1804.959,"endTime":1810.28,"body":"And so if you have a hotel that is unfamiliar with how to handle vendors,"},{"startTime":1810.29,"endTime":1811.689,"body":"bringing things into their space,"},{"startTime":1811.699,"endTime":1814.369,"body":"I would honestly rethink the hotel that you're hosting the event at."},{"startTime":1814.38,"endTime":1818.219,"body":"Like that is that is actually going to kind of highlight that they are not"},{"startTime":1818.334,"endTime":1823.104,"body":"in an event, hosting space or maybe ask to speak to somebody else within the hotel."},{"startTime":1823.724,"endTime":1829.405,"body":"So it's an interesting point because the vendor or the hotel is also a vendor."},{"startTime":1829.464,"endTime":1833.625,"body":"And so having a relationship with the hotel is"},{"startTime":1833.635,"endTime":1836.375,"body":"the same as having a relationship with a vendor."},{"startTime":1836.385,"endTime":1837.545,"body":"And you need to develop it."},{"startTime":1837.555,"endTime":1840.015,"body":"You need to make sure that you're communicating and you need to"},{"startTime":1840.334,"endTime":1842.785,"body":"level set expectations. So great point"},{"startTime":1843.515,"endTime":1844.704,"body":"-- and I interrupted you,"},{"startTime":1843.515,"endTime":1844.704,"body":"-- sorry."},{"startTime":1845.339,"endTime":1847.959,"body":"And if you're scared of vendors, you're going to realize that they're everywhere,"},{"startTime":1847.969,"endTime":1849.089,"body":"they're all around."},{"startTime":1849.67,"endTime":1854.78,"body":"Something else to think about is as your local local committee is"},{"startTime":1854.79,"endTime":1858.65,"body":"setting up the relationship with the hotel and signing a contract,"},{"startTime":1858.66,"endTime":1865.16,"body":"see if there's any writer where maybe they can only store one box of vendor stuff or"},{"startTime":1865.42,"endTime":1868.719,"body":"uh that was something I think we came across one year the"},{"startTime":1868.729,"endTime":1871.859,"body":"year that Colleen and I did this as a as a Cole"},{"startTime":1872.41,"endTime":1875.92,"body":"where there seemed to be a limit on the number of cases that"},{"startTime":1875.93,"endTime":1879.17,"body":"they would store and then we were going to get these exorbitant charges."},{"startTime":1879.39,"endTime":1881.4,"body":"So check the contracts with the hotel."},{"startTime":1881.589,"endTime":1885.329,"body":"Yeah. And to that point too, another thing that I found really interesting"},{"startTime":1885.5,"endTime":1888.01,"body":"is that they're often ship it so they're packing these"},{"startTime":1888.02,"endTime":1890.78,"body":"cases and they're often moving from conference to conference."},{"startTime":1890.81,"endTime":1894.869,"body":"So they're not even necessarily shipping them back to like their central office."},{"startTime":1894.89,"endTime":1895.839,"body":"It'll be like,"},{"startTime":1895.849,"endTime":1899.75,"body":"I'm coming from Florida and I'm flying into Des Moines to your conference and then"},{"startTime":1899.76,"endTime":1903.109,"body":"I need to arrange for the fedex to go ship it to this other location."},{"startTime":1903.489,"endTime":1906.06,"body":"All of those logistics you do not need to deal with."},{"startTime":1906.069,"endTime":1909.13,"body":"And if a vendor asked me to deal with that, I would say"},{"startTime":1909.339,"endTime":1909.9,"body":"no."},{"startTime":1910.77,"endTime":1911.18,"body":"Um"},{"startTime":1911.609,"endTime":1915.18,"body":"but I think it's, it's helpful just to understand that background that again,"},{"startTime":1915.189,"endTime":1916.959,"body":"these people, they're professionals, like"},{"startTime":1917.06,"endTime":1919.38,"body":"they go from conference to conference to conference"},{"startTime":1919.589,"endTime":1922.239,"body":"and they are a wealth of information,"},{"startTime":1922.369,"endTime":1925.219,"body":"they will tell you what they need and"},{"startTime":1925.39,"endTime":1926.579,"body":"they know what they're doing."},{"startTime":1926.699,"endTime":1928.209,"body":"And so that really helps too."},{"startTime":1928.219,"endTime":1931.199,"body":"If we kind of come back to that anxiety provoking conversation,"},{"startTime":1931.209,"endTime":1933.329,"body":"it is so much more nerve wracking on our end."},{"startTime":1933.339,"endTime":1934.819,"body":"This is what they do for a living."},{"startTime":1936.089,"endTime":1938.979,"body":"What haven't we talked about about engaging"},{"startTime":1938.989,"endTime":1941.55,"body":"with vendors and making those engagements,"},{"startTime":1941.56,"endTime":1943.589,"body":"positive, meaningful, beneficial."},{"startTime":1944.369,"endTime":1951.989,"body":"I really wanna hammer in how higher ed is a unique industry for vendor relationships"},{"startTime":1952.209,"endTime":1954.66,"body":"and seeking end user feedback."},{"startTime":1954.959,"endTime":1956.329,"body":"We as"},{"startTime":1956.449,"endTime":1959.989,"body":"higher ed professionals have as much to gain as those"},{"startTime":1960.0,"endTime":1962.55,"body":"companies that are trying to sell us products to,"},{"startTime":1962.56,"endTime":1963.109,"body":"right?"},{"startTime":1963.489,"endTime":1963.939,"body":"And,"},{"startTime":1964.3,"endTime":1966.63,"body":"and the uniqueness of the"},{"startTime":1966.9,"endTime":1968.229,"body":"long term"},{"startTime":1968.53,"endTime":1972.189,"body":"relationship which may or may not lead to a sale."},{"startTime":1972.43,"endTime":1973.65,"body":"I think it's important"},{"startTime":1973.93,"endTime":1977.89,"body":"when you think about looking for a new student information system,"},{"startTime":1977.9,"endTime":1981.53,"body":"that's not something a university who's gonna spend"},{"startTime":1981.689,"endTime":1983.17,"body":"a lot of money"},{"startTime":1983.56,"endTime":1986.54,"body":"to send student data somewhere is gonna go into."},{"startTime":1986.55,"endTime":1989.01,"body":"It's not a decision that you go into lightly."},{"startTime":1989.359,"endTime":1990.38,"body":"And so"},{"startTime":1990.53,"endTime":1996.339,"body":"those decisions take years if there, whether it's the initial,"},{"startTime":1996.349,"endTime":1999.579,"body":"like maybe we should switch or if there's an actual RFP."},{"startTime":1999.88,"endTime":2002.01,"body":"And so for vendors to"},{"startTime":2002.29,"endTime":2003.02,"body":"have"},{"startTime":2003.16,"endTime":2006.459,"body":"easy conversations with users,"},{"startTime":2006.849,"endTime":2010.03,"body":"not even decision makers because those,"},{"startTime":2010.04,"endTime":2014.77,"body":"those users may be like I had this great relationship or great conversations,"},{"startTime":2014.78,"endTime":2015.9,"body":"they seem so knowledgeable."},{"startTime":2015.91,"endTime":2019.89,"body":"They have all these opportunities for us. Those end users"},{"startTime":2020.06,"endTime":2023.75,"body":"can take that information back to the decision makers on campus."},{"startTime":2024.119,"endTime":2028.5,"body":"Yeah, so an RFP is a request for proposal and many"},{"startTime":2028.79,"endTime":2030.9,"body":"public institutions in particular"},{"startTime":2031.04,"endTime":2032.949,"body":"require rfps"},{"startTime":2033.439,"endTime":2037.41,"body":"in order to have some level of expenditure."},{"startTime":2037.42,"endTime":2041.42,"body":"So if we're looking at entering a contract for 3 to 5 years with a vendor,"},{"startTime":2041.93,"endTime":2045.079,"body":"most public institutions have to go out to RFP"},{"startTime":2045.089,"endTime":2048.219,"body":"to engage in that kind of contract negotiation."},{"startTime":2048.668,"endTime":2050.759,"body":"What's your experience with RFPS?"},{"startTime":2050.967,"endTime":2054.168,"body":"We'll probably do a whole other episode on rfps"},{"startTime":2054.178,"endTime":2057.678,"body":"alone because there's like the requirements gathering part,"},{"startTime":2057.688,"endTime":2058.489,"body":"there's the"},{"startTime":2058.599,"endTime":2065.009,"body":"how to rank and read and review the submissions that all the vendors provide."},{"startTime":2065.344,"endTime":2067.145,"body":"But from uh"},{"startTime":2067.353,"endTime":2071.504,"body":"dealing with vendors and participating with vendors perspective,"},{"startTime":2071.875,"endTime":2074.024,"body":"what's your experience with RFPS?"},{"startTime":2074.034,"endTime":2074.485,"body":"Colleen,"},{"startTime":2074.495,"endTime":2076.215,"body":"I heard you love them and that you have"},{"startTime":2076.225,"endTime":2081.455,"body":"volunteered as a permanent RFP participant at the U"},{"startTime":2081.774,"endTime":2085.264,"body":"I might have some PTSD after doing an RFP."},{"startTime":2085.629,"endTime":2089.34,"body":"Um But that was because of a series of unfortunate events."},{"startTime":2089.35,"endTime":2092.679,"body":"We basically just let everything go wrong, that could go wrong."},{"startTime":2092.83,"endTime":2095.85,"body":"We had our um amazing director at the time"},{"startTime":2095.86,"endTime":2098.83,"body":"who I whose name I will keep anonymous leave."},{"startTime":2098.84,"endTime":2102.25,"body":"During that time, we had some um big interim changes."},{"startTime":2102.36,"endTime":2106.62,"body":"We had our it person leave who was in there. Our,"},{"startTime":2106.85,"endTime":2106.87,"body":"our"},{"startTime":2107.02,"endTime":2112.899,"body":"purchasing contact within our department had medical leave in the middle."},{"startTime":2112.909,"endTime":2115.899,"body":"His boss retired during that time."},{"startTime":2116.489,"endTime":2118.979,"body":"They were not kidding. A lot of things went wrong."},{"startTime":2119.29,"endTime":2123.479,"body":"It truly was kind of almost as if I was in a joke."},{"startTime":2124.449,"endTime":2128.179,"body":"It was, yes. It at to a point got a little comical after the tears."},{"startTime":2128.52,"endTime":2130.709,"body":"But all that being said like that's,"},{"startTime":2131.08,"endTime":2133.229,"body":"that's sometimes life though is that you have all of these"},{"startTime":2133.239,"endTime":2136.149,"body":"different things that you're not expecting and you can plan for."},{"startTime":2136.159,"endTime":2138.189,"body":"Um welcome to Higher Ed, right?"},{"startTime":2138.36,"endTime":2140.669,"body":"And then all of a sudden a legislative, you know,"},{"startTime":2140.679,"endTime":2142.87,"body":"decision comes down that nobody is planning for and"},{"startTime":2142.879,"endTime":2144.85,"body":"you get this project work that you weren't anticipating."},{"startTime":2144.86,"endTime":2147.909,"body":"Like that's just the world that we live in. So to some extent, it was like, well,"},{"startTime":2148.35,"endTime":2149.54,"body":"yep part for the course"},{"startTime":2150.09,"endTime":2155.189,"body":"at the same time, it, it was really challenging and really difficult. But the"},{"startTime":2155.29,"endTime":2157.649,"body":"professional development opportunity that I had out"},{"startTime":2157.659,"endTime":2159.729,"body":"of working on that project was immense."},{"startTime":2160.06,"endTime":2162.449,"body":"My background is not in technology."},{"startTime":2162.669,"endTime":2167.37,"body":"And while I find myself to be literate when it comes to using"},{"startTime":2167.58,"endTime":2168.469,"body":"technology,"},{"startTime":2168.629,"endTime":2170.959,"body":"like I know how to use the fax machine and different things. It"},{"startTime":2171.6,"endTime":2173.85,"body":"it was really new territory of how"},{"startTime":2174.054,"endTime":2177.215,"body":"to work with our central it department"},{"startTime":2177.435,"endTime":2181.215,"body":"within our own department, some of our technology resources there"},{"startTime":2181.455,"endTime":2183.264,"body":"and be the middleman between these"},{"startTime":2183.274,"endTime":2186.125,"body":"conversations and ensuring that these vendors that"},{"startTime":2186.135,"endTime":2188.465,"body":"we were looking at were going to be able to serve our needs"},{"startTime":2188.604,"endTime":2191.114,"body":"essentially in a language that I did not speak."},{"startTime":2191.334,"endTime":2192.675,"body":"So from that space,"},{"startTime":2192.685,"endTime":2195.155,"body":"it really put me in the room with a lot of"},{"startTime":2195.165,"endTime":2197.074,"body":"people that I wouldn't normally be in the room with."},{"startTime":2197.245,"endTime":2197.665,"body":"And"},{"startTime":2198.0,"endTime":2201.34,"body":"I think one aspect that I brought to it"},{"startTime":2201.35,"endTime":2205.62,"body":"from my business background was absolutely no hesitation."},{"startTime":2205.629,"endTime":2207.939,"body":"I do not know this space."},{"startTime":2207.949,"endTime":2210.949,"body":"So I need to find somebody that does and have the confidence to"},{"startTime":2210.959,"endTime":2215.04,"body":"grab that person and invite them into my working group because I can't,"},{"startTime":2215.05,"endTime":2216.33,"body":"I cannot fake this."},{"startTime":2216.489,"endTime":2219.139,"body":"There is just a part of this that I, that I'm unfamiliar with."},{"startTime":2219.149,"endTime":2221.649,"body":"And the the business decision if we go with"},{"startTime":2221.81,"endTime":2225.562,"body":"a vendor because I didn't understand how our implementation process"},{"startTime":2225.572,"endTime":2228.011,"body":"would work or if this even integrates with our system,"},{"startTime":2228.251,"endTime":2229.771,"body":"that's like a pretty big mistake."},{"startTime":2229.872,"endTime":2234.372,"body":"Um This RFP was with our um it was for our transcript and our diploma vendor."},{"startTime":2234.382,"endTime":2235.791,"body":"So for both print"},{"startTime":2235.971,"endTime":2239.181,"body":"and digital, some of that work we've been doing in house."},{"startTime":2239.191,"endTime":2241.602,"body":"So it also was a pretty big shift."},{"startTime":2241.662,"endTime":2245.652,"body":"It was a pretty big sell as well by in house printing all"},{"startTime":2245.743,"endTime":2250.593,"body":"of our diplomas for over 50,000 students just at the Twin Cities campus."},{"startTime":2250.604,"endTime":2252.823,"body":"If we bring in our other campuses, it's a lot more"},{"startTime":2253.023,"endTime":2256.364,"body":"um is that we were by hand stuffing those envelopes."},{"startTime":2257.454,"endTime":2260.404,"body":"I know another PTSD that will be for another day."},{"startTime":2260.444,"endTime":2264.604,"body":"Um So moving to a vendor was essential for us, we were, we could not sustain"},{"startTime":2264.793,"endTime":2266.444,"body":"that level anymore."},{"startTime":2266.454,"endTime":2269.513,"body":"And we were like, there are people that can do this that are going to provide us with"},{"startTime":2269.615,"endTime":2271.156,"body":"greater quality assurance,"},{"startTime":2271.345,"endTime":2274.275,"body":"cheaper costs, you know, all of the things that come with that move,"},{"startTime":2274.285,"endTime":2276.275,"body":"but sometimes in higher ed, that's not"},{"startTime":2276.506,"endTime":2279.996,"body":"the automatic idea that a lot of people have. It's, this is how we've always done it."},{"startTime":2280.006,"endTime":2280.996,"body":"Why would we change it?"},{"startTime":2281.285,"endTime":2285.295,"body":"Um And so I knew that it was a high stakes decision that if it didn't go well,"},{"startTime":2285.385,"endTime":2287.285,"body":"there were going to be a lot of, a lot of impact."},{"startTime":2287.295,"endTime":2288.275,"body":"So I really"},{"startTime":2288.516,"endTime":2289.986,"body":"just kind of embraced the unknown."},{"startTime":2289.996,"endTime":2293.395,"body":"I was really open about the stuff that I knew and the stuff that I didn't"},{"startTime":2293.689,"endTime":2298.209,"body":"and was like, I'm bringing you in here because I don't know and I need you to know."},{"startTime":2298.699,"endTime":2299.889,"body":"And within that space too,"},{"startTime":2299.899,"endTime":2302.719,"body":"I was able to really establish a lot of relationships with other departments,"},{"startTime":2302.729,"endTime":2305.929,"body":"as I mentioned, that I wouldn't have gotten to work with in the past."},{"startTime":2306.26,"endTime":2312.34,"body":"Yeah, you're feeding into my, uh, sense that we need to have a whole episode on rfps"},{"startTime":2312.659,"endTime":2314.07,"body":"because this is all great."},{"startTime":2314.08,"endTime":2317.709,"body":"I want to dig into like many, many aspects of things that you said."},{"startTime":2317.719,"endTime":2321.53,"body":"But I will not for now because we're just going to stay focused on vendors."},{"startTime":2322.28,"endTime":2326.479,"body":"Sarah, have you done RFPS? Are you involved in the RFP process?"},{"startTime":2327.06,"endTime":2329.909,"body":"Years ago? I was a participant in one but"},{"startTime":2330.06,"endTime":2330.54,"body":"nothing"},{"startTime":2330.76,"endTime":2332.899,"body":"major. We have a homegrown student information"},{"startTime":2333.05,"endTime":2336.62,"body":"system in Iowa and we build so many things. I mean, we certainly worked"},{"startTime":2336.83,"endTime":2339.409,"body":"with other companies and vendors, right? But"},{"startTime":2339.949,"endTime":2341.03,"body":"the first"},{"startTime":2341.179,"endTime":2345.01,"body":"response is how can we build it? Like, let's build it better here."},{"startTime":2345.32,"endTime":2347.06,"body":"One of the coolest parts of my job honestly"},{"startTime":2347.07,"endTime":2348.82,"body":"is that we have a homegrown student information system."},{"startTime":2348.83,"endTime":2349.699,"body":"Very robust."},{"startTime":2350.0,"endTime":2353.01,"body":"Yeah, Michigan State used to have one as well when I was there"},{"startTime":2353.3,"endTime":2355.86,"body":"and then I left and now they don't, don't, that's"},{"startTime":2356.54,"endTime":2358.689,"body":"neither correlated nor"},{"startTime":2358.83,"endTime":2359.57,"body":"caused"},{"startTime":2360.239,"endTime":2364.669,"body":"I think touching on the, the professional development space"},{"startTime":2364.959,"endTime":2367.04,"body":"and opportunities that are there"},{"startTime":2367.209,"endTime":2368.87,"body":"for all,"},{"startTime":2369.04,"endTime":2370.52,"body":"all different"},{"startTime":2370.649,"endTime":2374.03,"body":"higher ed individuals, regardless of what your role is."},{"startTime":2374.199,"endTime":2376.58,"body":"A lot of the feedback that we've gotten is"},{"startTime":2376.729,"endTime":2380.37,"body":"I don't make contract decisions. Why would I go into the vendor space?"},{"startTime":2380.57,"endTime":2383.56,"body":"Um And we've also gotten some feedback that individuals thought that"},{"startTime":2383.57,"endTime":2387.139,"body":"they might be stepping on toes or might even kind of"},{"startTime":2387.149,"endTime":2390.03,"body":"get in trouble um by having those conversations with a vendor"},{"startTime":2390.04,"endTime":2393.149,"body":"because they're not in that space and just feeling like really siloed"},{"startTime":2393.489,"endTime":2394.31,"body":"and"},{"startTime":2394.479,"endTime":2396.439,"body":"our stress was really, again,"},{"startTime":2396.449,"endTime":2398.489,"body":"going back to that piece of understanding why"},{"startTime":2398.5,"endTime":2400.899,"body":"they're there to help break that down and"},{"startTime":2400.909,"endTime":2402.32,"body":"get more to a place where everybody's kind"},{"startTime":2402.33,"endTime":2404.129,"body":"of having the same conversation with each other."},{"startTime":2404.57,"endTime":2406.07,"body":"And realizing"},{"startTime":2406.239,"endTime":2409.429,"body":"that this is an opportunity for you to grow your knowledge"},{"startTime":2409.439,"endTime":2413.09,"body":"set and to get have these end user types of conversations,"},{"startTime":2413.294,"endTime":2416.155,"body":"provide feedback or even find out about"},{"startTime":2416.294,"endTime":2417.745,"body":"updates that are coming."},{"startTime":2417.754,"endTime":2421.554,"body":"I mean, so much of us are really truly heavy into the data space"},{"startTime":2421.814,"endTime":2424.475,"body":"and a big upgrade"},{"startTime":2425.205,"endTime":2426.594,"body":"or even a small upgrade."},{"startTime":2426.604,"endTime":2430.294,"body":"How many times have we been told this is going to be a small lift and all of a sudden,"},{"startTime":2430.304,"endTime":2432.375,"body":"you know, it brings your system down"},{"startTime":2433.28,"endTime":2434.139,"body":"and sometimes,"},{"startTime":2434.37,"endTime":2436.58,"body":"you know that information is coming from the top down."},{"startTime":2436.59,"endTime":2438.76,"body":"And so it's not that people are not trying to communicate."},{"startTime":2438.77,"endTime":2443.01,"body":"It's just a lot to make sure that everybody is in the know all the time."},{"startTime":2443.02,"endTime":2444.75,"body":"And this is an opportunity to be like, hey,"},{"startTime":2444.76,"endTime":2448.629,"body":"are you guys planning any type of new versions of your software?"},{"startTime":2448.639,"endTime":2450.659,"body":"Are there any updates that are coming?"},{"startTime":2450.909,"endTime":2452.139,"body":"What's on your road map?"},{"startTime":2452.27,"endTime":2453.82,"body":"What's on your road map? Yeah."},{"startTime":2453.83,"endTime":2456.83,"body":"Um And you are hearing that word of mouth and"},{"startTime":2456.84,"endTime":2458.979,"body":"you may be hearing it even before your leadership team,"},{"startTime":2458.989,"endTime":2461.179,"body":"but that can even just help you prepare,"},{"startTime":2461.687,"endTime":2464.566,"body":"give that again. Initial feedback of being like, OK, awesome."},{"startTime":2464.576,"endTime":2466.056,"body":"You guys are moving to a new version"},{"startTime":2466.177,"endTime":2469.427,"body":"and if you remove this feature, I may have a mental breakdown,"},{"startTime":2469.797,"endTime":2470.787,"body":"please."},{"startTime":2471.066,"endTime":2471.177,"body":"This is"},{"startTime":2471.487,"endTime":2474.007,"body":"your it team. You can't take this away from us."},{"startTime":2474.116,"endTime":2476.816,"body":"And again, I've actually had them be like,"},{"startTime":2476.967,"endTime":2481.386,"body":"oh, thank you. Like, I'll make sure to spread that on, you know, or pass that on"},{"startTime":2481.616,"endTime":2484.777,"body":"and whether or not that institutes huge change,"},{"startTime":2484.927,"endTime":2486.487,"body":"but it really can."},{"startTime":2486.596,"endTime":2489.987,"body":"Again, they want you to be happy. And oftentimes some of these"},{"startTime":2490.093,"endTime":2492.983,"body":"teachers are not necessarily huge lists on their end."},{"startTime":2493.043,"endTime":2495.434,"body":"It's just if they don't know that it's essential"},{"startTime":2495.444,"endTime":2497.214,"body":"or if they think something else replaces it,"},{"startTime":2497.224,"endTime":2499.793,"body":"but it really doesn't offer the same functionality."},{"startTime":2500.104,"endTime":2500.354,"body":"You know,"},{"startTime":2500.364,"endTime":2501.864,"body":"sometimes they just go with that and it's just"},{"startTime":2501.874,"endTime":2503.364,"body":"a decision and then they could have gone in"},{"startTime":2503.374,"endTime":2505.854,"body":"-- a different direction if they had feedback"},{"startTime":2503.374,"endTime":2505.854,"body":"-- so critical"},{"startTime":2505.864,"endTime":2509.533,"body":"for people to engage with vendors in meaningful conversations"},{"startTime":2509.724,"endTime":2512.634,"body":"when they have them because they're there and you're there,"},{"startTime":2512.644,"endTime":2516.374,"body":"you might as well either learn something or share something"},{"startTime":2518.5,"endTime":2519.7,"body":"last offer"},{"startTime":2519.811,"endTime":2520.44,"body":"that"},{"startTime":2520.581,"endTime":2523.96,"body":"a lot of them are like super wonderful people."},{"startTime":2524.17,"endTime":2525.18,"body":"And through this, I"},{"startTime":2525.341,"endTime":2530.65,"body":"agree, I agree. This is another thing that is unique about higher education."},{"startTime":2530.66,"endTime":2535.76,"body":"In my experience, I worked for IBM for some time before I entered the higher ed space."},{"startTime":2536.02,"endTime":2539.49,"body":"And my experience with vendors in higher education is"},{"startTime":2539.5,"endTime":2542.48,"body":"that they are lovely people almost to a person"},{"startTime":2542.611,"endTime":2545.67,"body":"and engaging them with, with them is very easy."},{"startTime":2545.811,"endTime":2546.7,"body":"And so it,"},{"startTime":2547.189,"endTime":2549.82,"body":"it lowers that stress level again."},{"startTime":2550.01,"endTime":2550.81,"body":"And so"},{"startTime":2551.01,"endTime":2552.389,"body":"go into the vendor hall,"},{"startTime":2552.399,"endTime":2557.01,"body":"chat it up with people want to echo your sense of encouragement for people to do that."},{"startTime":2557.54,"endTime":2558.77,"body":"Closing thoughts."},{"startTime":2559.06,"endTime":2563.29,"body":"-- Vendors,"},{"startTime":2559.06,"endTime":2563.29,"body":"-- great people don't be afraid to walk in."},{"startTime":2563.3,"endTime":2565.25,"body":"You're going to just have a conversation,"},{"startTime":2565.26,"endTime":2567.949,"body":"you're at a conference to learn and engage and"},{"startTime":2567.959,"endTime":2571.179,"body":"it's not just sitting passively in a conference session,"},{"startTime":2571.189,"endTime":2571.469,"body":"right?"},{"startTime":2571.479,"endTime":2575.889,"body":"You can also learn from those conversations, great opportunity"},{"startTime":2576.209,"endTime":2579.85,"body":"and continue those relationships when you can afterwards."},{"startTime":2579.86,"endTime":2581.83,"body":"If they said if you drop your business card"},{"startTime":2582.189,"endTime":2584.629,"body":"in their bowl and they send you an email,"},{"startTime":2584.83,"endTime":2587.31,"body":"you can say we're not interested at this time,"},{"startTime":2587.32,"endTime":2591.87,"body":"but it was so nice to meet you just just be a nice person and thank them for reaching out"},{"startTime":2592.25,"endTime":2594.55,"body":"because you may need them in a couple of years, right?"},{"startTime":2595.929,"endTime":2600.62,"body":"Also, we got some good feedback from our vendors that if you get emails,"},{"startTime":2600.629,"endTime":2602.739,"body":"they are completely happy for you to say"},{"startTime":2603.02,"endTime":2605.55,"body":"I'm not interested. Take me off my email list."},{"startTime":2605.56,"endTime":2607.669,"body":"I think some people get hesitant to the oh,"},{"startTime":2607.81,"endTime":2609.679,"body":"I'm gonna come back and I'm gonna get all these emails"},{"startTime":2609.689,"endTime":2611.86,"body":"from different things or different things that I'm not interested in."},{"startTime":2612.1,"endTime":2613.449,"body":"Um So keep an open mind because it may"},{"startTime":2613.459,"endTime":2615.149,"body":"be something you want to connect with in the future"},{"startTime":2615.379,"endTime":2619.34,"body":"and it's ok to say no to, you can say that politely and"},{"startTime":2619.469,"endTime":2623.31,"body":"that's ok and it's a good skill to learn. This is a good space to get comfortable"},{"startTime":2623.419,"endTime":2624.8,"body":"with saying no,"},{"startTime":2624.919,"endTime":2629.409,"body":"somebody gave us some feedback at Acro, a vendor gave us feedback at Acro that"},{"startTime":2629.679,"endTime":2634.969,"body":"getting to know faster is just as valuable as yes, I'm interested"},{"startTime":2635.229,"endTime":2637.85,"body":"because they can reallocate their resources."},{"startTime":2637.86,"endTime":2639.689,"body":"If they know that you're not interested,"},{"startTime":2639.699,"endTime":2641.33,"body":"then why are they going to keep you on their"},{"startTime":2641.34,"endTime":2643.489,"body":"list and reach out to you every couple weeks?"},{"startTime":2643.5,"endTime":2645.689,"body":"Don't be afraid to say no. Just like Colleen said,"},{"startTime":2646.12,"endTime":2646.899,"body":"that's wonderful,"},{"startTime":2647.149,"endTime":2648.03,"body":"Colleen Sarah,"},{"startTime":2648.04,"endTime":2653.37,"body":"thank you for being here and for sharing some wisdom and tips and tricks for"},{"startTime":2653.649,"endTime":2660.489,"body":"making those vendor interactions meaningful for helping people come up with ways"},{"startTime":2660.5,"endTime":2665.52,"body":"to address their vendor phobia of going into the vendor hall."},{"startTime":2665.53,"endTime":2670.649,"body":"And also for sharing some of the insight on ways that state and"},{"startTime":2670.659,"endTime":2673.959,"body":"regional conferences and the national conference"},{"startTime":2674.02,"endTime":2676.77,"body":"work with vendors to have them sponsor"},{"startTime":2676.889,"endTime":2680.31,"body":"and participate in meaningful ways. This has been fantastic."},{"startTime":2680.32,"endTime":2681.679,"body":"Thank you both for being here."},{"startTime":2682.06,"endTime":2683.56,"body":"Thanks for having us Doug."},{"startTime":2683.85,"endTime":2684.959,"body":"Thank you so much."},{"startTime":2686.58,"endTime":2688.389,"body":"Thank you to Colleen and Sarah for"},{"startTime":2688.399,"endTime":2691.159,"body":"sharing their strategies for engaging with vendors."},{"startTime":2691.379,"endTime":2694.189,"body":"Which ones stand out as something you'd actually try,"},{"startTime":2694.669,"endTime":2696.919,"body":"which ones resonated the most."},{"startTime":2697.87,"endTime":2700.53,"body":"All right, everybody. It's go time."},{"startTime":2700.82,"endTime":2706.07,"body":"The general election is right around the corner, November 5th 2024."},{"startTime":2706.28,"endTime":2711.209,"body":"I hope that you will participate in this most basic of rights and freedoms."},{"startTime":2712.159,"endTime":2714.26,"body":"Vote for our future."},{"startTime":2714.449,"endTime":2718.62,"body":"Spread the word. Make a plan to vote, bring your friends to vote."},{"startTime":2719.05,"endTime":2720.219,"body":"Thank you for listening."},{"startTime":2721.09,"endTime":2722.53,"body":"I hope that you found some of the tips"},{"startTime":2722.54,"endTime":2725.159,"body":"for interacting with vendors useful and that maybe one"},{"startTime":2725.169,"endTime":2727.37,"body":"or two of you will consider volunteering for the"},{"startTime":2727.379,"endTime":2730.989,"body":"corporate relations role with your own regional association."},{"startTime":2736.879,"endTime":2737.939,"body":"Until next time,"},{"startTime":2738.05,"endTime":2742.139,"body":"stretch your legs before you vote, drink some water while you're waiting to vote."},{"startTime":2742.149,"endTime":2745.02,"body":"Be kind to each other with your vote."},{"startTime":2745.59,"endTime":2746.659,"body":"I'm Doug mckenna"},{"startTime":2746.86,"endTime":2748.659,"body":"and this is for the record."},{"startTime":2766.26,"endTime":2768.27,"body":"It's weird. It's already weird."},{"startTime":2768.29,"endTime":2773.409,"body":"All of this is going to get snipped and tagged at the end after the fourth record."},{"startTime":2773.419,"endTime":2773.899,"body":"Hooray."},{"startTime":2774.29,"endTime":2774.919,"body":"So"},{"startTime":2775.239,"endTime":2779.239,"body":"just fy, sometimes I like to throw a little Easter eggs, nuggets in there."},{"startTime":2779.409,"endTime":2785.639,"body":"Like, for example, on the academic calendar, I did a spoof of Alexander Hamilton"},{"startTime":2786.04,"endTime":2789.12,"body":"at the end and sang it with the words of academic calendar,"},{"startTime":2789.84,"endTime":2793.12,"body":"but only maybe five people have heard that ever"},{"startTime":2793.379,"endTime":2797.34,"body":"because everybody stops listening after the guests sign off."}]}