In selecting a supplier to support a niche segment of services, establishing open communication with all stakeholders is critical for successful cooperation. This ensures that all parties are aligned on the goals and objectives, fostering a collaborative environment that is essential for the success of specialized services.

The ITIL 4Supplier Managementpractice emphasizes the importance of"Engage"and"Collaborate and Promote Visibility"principles, where clear and open communication is vital to building and maintaining strong relationships with suppliers. By aligning on goals, both the service provider and the supplier can ensure that their efforts are coordinated, leading to improved service delivery and mutual success.

Trust-based service level agreements (A) and warranty-based SLAs (C) are important, but they need to be built on a foundation of clear and open communication. Daily stand-ups and demos (B) are good practices for ongoing projects but may not address the broader need for alignment and open dialogue among all stakeholders.