Vendor management is a discipline that enables organizations to control costs, drive service excellence and mitigate risks to gain increased value from their vendors throughout the deal life cycle. Gartner’s vendor management research helps clients select the right vendors; categorize vendors to ensure the right contract, metrics and relationship; determine the ideal number of vendors; mitigate risk when using vendors; and establish a vendor management organization that best fits the enterprise. This enables organizations to optimally develop, manage and control vendor contracts, relationships and performance for the efficient delivery of contracted products and services. This can help clients meet business objectives, minimize potential business disruption, avoid deal and delivery failure, and ensure more-sustainable multisourcing, while driving the most value from their vendors.