The mechanisms for the liaison between customer and supplier should be discussed when the contract is being negotiated. It is easy to underestimate the customer management responsibilities that will continue to exist under an information technology (IT) outsourcing arrangement. The existing IT management function will therefore change once the outsourcing process starts, as different skills will be invoked for the new liaison management role. This is not to say that it will inevitably be the same members of the customer's existing IT management team who will be tasked with the liaison management. Representatives should be appointed by each party, by the supplier as well as by the customer. They will each play a key part in the liaison process. Each representative needs to be more than a figurehead liaison officer without any real power to influence the course of events. The description of the liaison role will includes services and monitoring, contract, communication, planning, and co-ordination.