How We Work

    From first conversation to ongoing program, here's what working with us looks like.

    Enterprise procurement teams want to know what they're getting into before they pick up the phone. So do their CFOs. Here's the engagement model, the typical timeline, and what we ask of you at each stage. No mystery, no scope creep.

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    The five stages of a Succinctive engagement

    Stage 01

    Discovery

    1–2 weeks

    Stage 02

    Program Design

    2–3 weeks

    Stage 03

    Build & Test

    4–5 weeks

    Stage 04

    Launch

    1–2 weeks

    Stage 05

    Operate & Optimize

    Ongoing

    Total time from first call to first shipment varies by program scope. Simple programs (single storefront, no procurement integration) go live in 6–7 weeks.

    Complex programs (multi-region fulfillment, PunchOut integration, SSO, multi-brand) take 12–13 weeks. We'll size it accurately in discovery.

    What happens at each stage

    01

    Stage 01

    Discovery

    Duration: 1–2 weeks

    What we do

    • •20-minute initial discovery call to understand your situation
    • •Follow-up calls with your People Ops, Brand, Procurement, and IT stakeholders as needed
    • •Current-state analysis of what you're doing today, what's working, and what isn't
    • •Opportunity sizing for what a program might look like in scope and budget

    What we ask of you

    • •Multiple 30–60 minute calls with stakeholders
    • •Transparent details about what's broken or constrained today
    • •Access to a brand asset (style guide, logo files) for early scoping
    • •Approximate annual merch spend, or as close as you can estimate

    Key deliverables

    • •Program shape proposal
    02

    Stage 02

    Program Design

    Duration: 2–3 weeks

    What we do

    • •Detailed program scoping: sourcing plan, decoration methods, warehousing setup, platform architecture, fulfillment regions, reporting needs
    • •Brand standards documentation: PMS specs, logo placement rules, prohibited combinations, sub-brand handling
    • •Vendor and partner alignment: which factories, which platforms, which procurement integrations
    • •Pricing proposal and engagement contract draft

    What we ask of you

    • •Stakeholder availability for 2–3 working sessions
    • •Brand assets and standards documentation (or our team will document them with your input)
    • •Identification of named stakeholders: program owner, brand approver, procurement contact, IT contact (if applicable)
    • •Sign-off on program design before build begins

    Key deliverables

    • •Detailed program design document
    • •Brand standards reference document
    • •Pricing proposal
    • •Engagement contract (MSA + SOW)
    03

    Stage 03

    Build & Test

    Duration: 4–5 weeks

    What we do

    • •Sourcing setup: factory engagement, sample production, sample approval cycles
    • •Decoration setup: artwork preparation, color matching, production proofs
    • •Platform build (if applicable): storefront design, custom development, PunchOut catalog setup, SSO integration
    • •Inventory planning: initial production quantities, SKU strategy, reorder thresholds
    • •Warehouse and fulfillment configuration
    • •Internal testing and QA before launch

    What we ask of you

    • •Sample approval (typically 2–3 rounds of physical samples)
    • •Final brand sign-off on production proofs
    • •IT and security team availability for platform integrations (typically 4–8 hours total)
    • •Procurement system access for PunchOut testing (if applicable)
    • •Named launch coordinator on your side

    Key deliverables

    • •Approved samples in your hands
    • •Production-ready artwork files archived in your account
    • •Built and tested platform (storefront, PunchOut, SSO) ready for go-live
    • •Initial inventory produced and received in our warehouse
    04

    Stage 04

    Launch

    Duration: 1–2 weeks

    What we do

    • •Go-live coordination: storefront live date, first order fulfillment, communications support
    • •Stakeholder training: how to use the portal, how to request reorders, how to access reporting
    • •Initial communications support: launch announcement copy, internal rollout materials
    • •Live monitoring of first wave of orders to catch any issues immediately

    What we ask of you

    • •Internal communications coordination (we provide copy templates; you handle the announce)
    • •Stakeholder availability for a 30-minute portal training session
    • •Designated point person for the first 2 weeks post-launch to triage internal questions

    Key deliverables

    • •Program live in production
    • •All named users trained on the portal
    • •First wave of orders fulfilled
    • •Launch retrospective and any immediate adjustments captured
    05

    Stage 05

    Operate & Optimize

    Duration: Ongoing

    What we do

    • •Daily fulfillment operations: orders processed, kits assembled, individual shipments routed
    • •Inventory management: reorder triggers, restocks, end-of-life SKU handling
    • •Brand compliance reviews on every order
    • •Monthly reporting: order volume, fulfillment performance, popular SKUs, spend, brand compliance pass rate
    • •Quarterly business reviews: program health, optimization opportunities, scope changes
    • •Annual program review: full audit of program performance, refresh recommendations

    What we ask of you

    • •Stakeholder availability for monthly check-ins (30 minutes)
    • •Quarterly business review participation (60 minutes)
    • •Early notification of major scope changes (new region, new sub-brand, M&A integration)

    Key deliverables

    • •Continuous program operation
    • •Monthly reporting in your inbox
    • •Quarterly review documents
    • •Real-time visibility through the portal

    How we structure engagements

    Project-Based

    For one-time engagements like event activations, conference merch, single-occasion gifting, or pilot programs. Fixed scope, fixed timeline, fixed budget. No ongoing commitment.

    Best for

    First-time engagements, specific events, evaluation of fit before committing to a program.

    Typical commitment

    Single project, paid against milestones.

    Program Retainer

    For ongoing managed programs: company stores, onboarding kits, executive gifting, recurring event activation. Monthly retainer covers program management; production and inventory are billed separately at agreed margins.

    Best for

    Multi-program, multi-region enterprise engagements where Succinctive operates as the embedded merch function.

    Typical commitment

    24-month initial term, then annual renewal.

    Hybrid

    For clients with both an ongoing program and periodic large project events (e.g., a managed onboarding program plus annual sales kickoff merch). Retainer for the ongoing program, project-based for the periodic events.

    Best for

    Companies with steady-state programs plus event-driven spikes.

    Typical commitment

    Retainer with project SOWs added as needed.

    In discovery, we'll recommend the structure that fits your situation.

    What working with us asks of your team

    We run the program; you provide the inputs only you can.

    • One named program owner on your side

      Typically in People Ops, Brand, or Marketing. The person who owns the relationship with us and represents your team's needs.

    • Brand assets and standards

      Logos, PMS specs, fonts, brand guidelines, any prohibited usages.

    • Stakeholder access during build

      Short bursts of time from procurement, IT, brand, or other functions during specific stages. We'll tell you when.

    • Monthly check-ins and quarterly reviews

      30 minutes monthly, 60 minutes quarterly.

    • Early heads-up on major changes

      M&A, rebrands, new regions, leadership changes that affect program scope.

    That's it. We don't ask for a full-time merch person on your side because we are that function.

    Frequently asked questions

    Ready to map this to your situation?

    A 20-minute discovery call gives us enough to come back with a shaped program proposal. No slide deck, no pressure, just a clear sense of what working together would look like.

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