How to use ViperVendor
ViperVendor streamlines communication with your requester from initial request through confirmation with instructions.
Overview
Given that the main purpose of ViperVendor is to streamline communication between you and Meetings/Events companies using Viper, you should be in the habit of responding to all requests and messages through ViperVendor, NOT through your email app. This is to ensure all correspondence is tracked in ViperVendor, giving you an accurate history for every requested product or service. All requests and changes are driven by the requester, so as a vendor you will be a responder in most cases. That being said, you can send messages to the requester at any time; you might request certain details or inform them of changes to cost, timing, or availability.
Workflow
When Viper using companies are considering your products or services, they'll send you a request and you'll instantly receive an email notification with the request details. (Most likely, you'll already have an established relationship with the requester.) The notification email will contain a link to your ViperVendor Dashboard and when you land in your ViperVendor Dashboard you'll see an indicator icon next to the Program(s) with new request(s).
Open the Program with the pending request(s). Within the Program, you'll see a list of one or more "Products" that have been requested from you. Products could include physical products, staffing, labor, and other services. For each requested product, you'll see the date, total units, cost, and other details that may influence your response. New requests will have a red indicator, which you can click on to respond to the request.
When responding to a request, you have a few options: (1) Courtesy Hold (2) Confirm (3) Not Available or (4) Message Only. Whether you opt to respond with a Courtesy Hold and Courtesy Hold Date or to respond with a Confirmation depends on your preference, policy, and relationship with the requester. A Courtesy Hold informs the requester that you will hold the product until a given date. A deposit is typically preferred before a vendor Confirms a product. If you want to get more information, you can send a Message to the requester before deciding on Courtesy Hold, Confirm, or Not Available.
After responding to intial requests, it's likely that messages and changes may need to be communicated between you and the requester. You can easily receive and send messages related to each product through the Program Product Dashboard and every message is tracked in the Product History. When you receive a Change Request email notification, the changes betwen the last request and the new request will be highlighted in your Program Product Dashboard so you can respond accordingly.
As the Program start date approaches, the requester can send detailed Instructions so it's clear where you need to be and when. Structured Instructions can be especially helpful for Events with a lot of moving pieces (like transporting large groups). For instance, you can nail down details for multiple groups of vehicles and track different pickup and dropoff locations and times.
Program Operation
Any changes that occur during the operation of the Program event(s) can be confirmed through your ViperVendor Product Dashboard. After you check that totals are correct, you can invoice the requester for any remaining balance. At this time, invoices and payments cannot be automated through ViperVendor but you can attach files (like invoices) to any message sent through your ViperVendor Dashboard. Invoicing and payment tracking will be arriving soon!