The Empty Chair Test: Proving a Public Service Contract Can Survive a Key Departure
Photo: Office for National Statistics, OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Public service contracts are often described as relationships. That is true, but relationships are not a control. When a supplier's account manager resigns or moves to another role, the contracting authority can lose more than a familiar voice at meetings. It can lose the informal knowledge that kept the service steady: the open actions, the escalation shortcuts, the history behind a performance report and the reason a particular workaround was agreed. In 2026, with public sector budgets under pressure and contract management under scrutiny, continuity should be tested before a vacancy arises.
The empty chair test is simple. If the main contact left tomorrow, could the supplier prove that the service would continue without a wobble? A trusted commercial partner should be able to answer yes and show the evidence. The drill below is designed for UK public service contracts, where value for money, service performance and clear accountability are not optional extras.
Why one departure can become a service issue
Account managers often carry a disproportionate amount of operational memory. They know which client stakeholders need early notice, which reports are politically sensitive and which service credits are close to being triggered. None of that knowledge is malicious; it is the natural result of day-to-day contact. The risk is that it is not written down or shared with a named backup.
When the account manager leaves, the supplier may appoint a replacement quickly. But a new face is not the same as a managed handover. Open actions can drift, escalation routes can be missed and the contracting authority can find itself repeating information that should already be on record. In public service contracts, that drift can affect service users, not just balance sheets.
Build the handover checklist before it is needed
A handover drill should be a standing requirement, not a reaction to a resignation. The supplier should maintain a live handover pack that can be activated within a defined period. The pack should cover named backups, open actions, service history, escalation routes and communication plans. It should be reviewed at contract management meetings and updated when the service changes.
Named backups are the first test. It is not enough to say that cover will be arranged. The contract should identify a deputy or a small team with the authority and knowledge to act. The backup should attend key meetings occasionally, not merely appear when the main contact is on leave. Familiarity before a crisis is what makes cover credible.
Open actions are the second test. Every action should have an owner, a due date and a status. A handover pack that lists actions without owners is a diary, not a control. The contracting authority should be able to see the open actions that affect service delivery and the plan for closing them. This is particularly important where actions relate to performance improvement, complaints or outstanding audit points.
Service history is the third test. The supplier should be able to produce a concise record of performance against key performance indicators, service credits, incidents, changes and agreed variations. The purpose is not to create a second contract file. It is to give a replacement account manager the context to make sound decisions. A new contact who understands the history is less likely to reopen settled issues or miss a known sensitivity.
Escalation routes are the fourth test. Many service problems are resolved informally because the right people know each other. That is efficient until the main contact leaves. The handover pack should set out the formal escalation route, the names and roles of those authorised to act, and the circumstances in which escalation is triggered. The contracting authority should test the route during the drill, not wait for a real failure.
Communication plans are the fifth test. The supplier should set out how it will tell the client about a change of account manager, who will introduce the replacement, how knowledge will be transferred and what period of overlap will be provided. A short overlap is often more valuable than a long goodbye. It allows the replacement to see live issues, meet stakeholders and hear the reasoning behind decisions.
Run the drill as a contract management exercise
A handover drill does not need to be elaborate. At a regular contract meeting, ask the supplier to walk through the handover pack as if the main contact were leaving at the end of the month. Test three things. Can the supplier name the backup and confirm their availability? Can it show the open actions and service history without asking the account manager for a memory refresh? Can it explain the escalation route and the communication plan?
Record the results and agree actions. If the pack is incomplete, set a date for remediation. If the backup is not credible, require a different arrangement. If the communication plan is vague, tighten it. The drill is not a test of the individual account manager; it is a test of the supplier's management system. A good account manager will welcome it because it protects their work and makes their eventual departure less disruptive.
What the contract should make clear
Continuity should not depend on goodwill. The contract or service schedule should require a named account manager, a named backup and a handover pack maintained throughout the term. It should set a notice period for changes to key personnel and a minimum overlap where practicable. It should also make clear that the supplier remains accountable for service performance during a transition.
For contracting authorities, the point is not to micromanage the supplier's staffing. It is to protect service delivery and public value. A supplier that cannot demonstrate continuity is asking the client to carry a risk that the supplier is better placed to manage. A trusted supplier will see the drill as evidence of professionalism, not interference.
The standard to expect in 2026
Operational resilience is often discussed in terms of systems and premises. It applies equally to people. The empty chair test asks a simple question: would the service still be steady if the main contact walked out of the door? In UK public service contracts, the answer should be supported by a handover pack, a named backup and a tested escalation route. CLI Ltd's view is that clients should ask for that evidence before they need it. A commercial partner that can prove continuity is a partner worth keeping.
