Why This Template Matters
When evaluating AI technologies, vendor meetings often fall short for several reasons:- Inconsistent evaluation criteria across different vendors
- Lack of preparation leading to surface-level demonstrations
- Assymetry of knowledge with vendors being more prepared
- Missing key stakeholders whose perspectives are essential
- Failure to address specific requirements for your organization’s use case
- No structured follow-up resulting in lost insights
Template Components
The Vendor Meeting Planning template includes four key sections designed to guide you through the entire meeting lifecycle:1. Pre-meeting Preparation
This section helps you identify all necessary participants and materials needed before the meeting occurs.- Participant identification: Internal stakeholders and vendor representatives
- Meeting objective setting: Clear goals for the session
- Pre-meeting materials: Documents to share with participants
- Evaluation criteria: What success looks like for this meeting
2. Meeting Agenda Creation
A well-structured agenda ensures efficient use of time and comprehensive coverage of topics.- Time-based schedule: Keeps the meeting on track
- Role assignments: Clarifies responsibilities for each section
- Demonstration requirements: Specific capabilities you want to see in action
- Key discussion topics: Critical areas to explore with the vendor
3. Question Development
Tailored questions for different stakeholders ensure all perspectives are addressed.- Technical questions: Architecture, integration, data management
- Business value questions: ROI, use case alignment, implementation timeline
- Governance questions: Security, compliance, data ownership
- Support questions: Implementation assistance, ongoing maintenance
4. Post-Meeting Notes & Feedback
Structured follow-up ensures insights aren’t lost and next steps are clear.- Meeting summary: Key points and discoveries
- Evaluation framework: Structured assessment of vendor capabilities
- Follow-up actions: Tasks, owners, and deadlines
- Decision inputs: How this meeting impacts the overall evaluation
Example: AI Vendor Meeting Plan
Here’s a sample plan for a meeting with an AI vendor specializing in generative AI solutions:Pre-meeting Preparation
Meeting Objective: Evaluate [Vendor]‘s large language model capabilities for customer service automation and assess integration requirements with our existing systems. Date & Time: [Date/Time] Internal Participants:- [Name], CIO (Meeting Owner)
- [Name], Customer Service Director
- [Name], IT Security Lead
- [Name], Data Privacy Officer
- [Name], Enterprise Architect
- [Requested roles: Account Executive, Solution Architect, Implementation Specialist]
- Project overview document (shared with vendor)
- Current system architecture diagram
- List of technical requirements
- Specific customer service scenarios for live demonstration
Meeting Agenda
| Time | Topic | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00-00:10 | Introductions & Meeting Objectives | CIO |
| 00:10-00:25 | Vendor Company & Solution Overview | Vendor Account Executive |
| 00:25-00:55 | Technical Architecture & Integration | Vendor Solution Architect |
| 00:55-01:25 | Live Demo with Customer Service Cases | Vendor Team |
| 01:25-01:50 | Security, Data Privacy & Governance | Vendor & Security Lead |
| 01:50-02:10 | Pricing, Licensing & Support Models | Vendor Account Executive |
| 02:10-02:25 | Q&A Session | All |
| 02:25-02:30 | Next Steps & Action Items | CIO |
Key Questions
Technical Questions:- How does your LLM handle multilingual customer inquiries?
- What level of customization is available for tuning the model to our industry context?
- How do you manage model drift and ensure continued performance?
- What integration options exist for our current CRM system?
- How does your solution handle PII and sensitive information?
- What metrics should we track to measure successful implementation?
- How does your pricing scale with usage and what controls exist to manage costs?
- What is the typical timeline for implementation and training?
- How have similar companies in our industry benefited from your solution?
- What security certifications does your platform maintain?
- How is customer data used in your model training?
- What data ownership rights do we maintain?
- What compliance frameworks do you support (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)?
- What implementation support is included?
- What ongoing training do you provide for our team?
- How do you handle model updates and improvements?
- What is your SLA for critical issues?
Post-Meeting Evaluation Framework
Evaluation Criteria (Rate 1-5):- Technical capability match to requirements
- Integration complexity
- Data security and governance
- Implementation support
- Cost and licensing structure
- Cultural fit with our organization
- [Action items with owners and deadlines]
- Follow-up meeting date
- Decision deadline
Benefits of Using This Template
By using the Vendor Meeting Planning template, you will:- Ensure consistent evaluation across different AI vendors
- Demonstrate preparedness that commands respect from vendors
- Uncover deeper insights beyond standard sales presentations
- Include all critical perspectives from various stakeholders
- Create actionable documentation that supports decision-making
- Reduce meeting fatigue through focused, efficient sessions
Next Steps
To use this template in Kowalah:- Navigate to the “Supplier Selection” stage
- Select “Help me plan for a vendor meeting”
- Answer the guided questions about your specific meeting needs
- Customize the generated plan to your requirements