7 Essential Attributes of Strategic Supplier Partnerships!

Though the phrase partnership is often used, what really constitutes a strategic supplier partnership?

In a previous article about supplier management, I suggested that the more a supplier tells you that they are strategic, the less they really are. Strategic is a term that is often overused. Whether the phrase refers to sourcing, procurement, relationships, or other matters, its use is prevalent.

The notion of partnerships is equally ubiquitous and similarly both mis- and over-used. This article will identify a taxonomy for a strategic partnership between two parties.

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7 Signs of Excellent Procurement Teams!

Unchaining Change Leadership

Excellence, or superiority, is often the goal in corporate organizations. Each and every function, within its own right, including Procurement teams, strives for excellence and achievement in order for a company to collectively grow, evolve, and thrive.

Achieving excellence seldom comes easy. Hardships and roadblocks are to be expected taking the road less traveled towards change and transformation, but without daring to create something contemporary, one often settles for commonality.

There is no one answer to success and achievement, but there are parallels that can be drawn between organizations that simply exist, and those that prosper.

Procurement is a function that has long been at cross-roads; dare to transform within people, process & technology, or keep doing what has always worked just fine.

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How to Make Your Business Punchout Ready!

Punchout catalogs can change many aspects of your business. If you’re selling B2B, then you should consider implementing a punchout catalog to establish more efficiency throughout your supply chain.

 Using modern tools and a bit of planning, you can make your business punchout ready, so your clients can begin ordering right away. 

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The Future of the Chief Procurement Officer … Is Already Here!

Kodiak Rating’s CTO was recently in attendance at a Chief Procurement Officer and Procurement Leaders event held in London, titled DITx — Data Intelligence and Tech Forum.

As written by Procurement Leaders, “DITx is Europe’s ONLY event specifically designed for procurement professionals wanting to capitalize on a whole new set of opportunities that disrupt yet provide new transformative, value adding capabilities” (Procurement Leaders 2017).

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7 KPIs Your Procurement Team May Be Ignoring!

Procurement bridges the gap between product, internal stakeholders and customers. Elements of that bridge include KPIs.

In order to support the weight of internal and external expectations, Procurement teams must be prepared to perform as a key value adder within an organization.

Meeting expectations at the door isn’t always the easiest task, especially when those expectations can be wide sweeping (example: minimize cost).

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The Baby Supply Chain!

We have a newborn Grandson!  A beautiful baby boy!

Aside from being a parent there is no better feeling than being a Grandparent!

A whole new world of joy and responsibility has begun for my son and his girlfriend.  It is such an exciting time but their routine will be completely turned upside down as new parents.

They will have to figure out so many things that they never had to deal with before.  Parents immediately  have to care for their child in every way.

They have also just entered the world of the Baby Supply Chain!

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Procurement (and Purchasing) Job Interview Questions & Answers

Procurement, or Purchasing, is an area of Supply Chain that involves and requires very specific skills and expertise.  This is particularly apparent if you are conducing a job interview and hiring a Procurement professional, you are looking for a  Procurement job,  you are looking to outsource anything, or you are dealing with Procurement people in the course of conducting business.  

Regardless of your position or situation it is highly valuable to understand  the type of interview questions, and answers, appropriate for Procurement and Purchasing professionals.    

Check out this list of 25 Procurement and Purchasing and Supply Chain interview questions and answers.

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Hey Procurement! It’s Time to SELL!

The Procurement, or Purchasing, function is considered by many to be a necessary but non-strategic part of any organization. But there is a profoundly significant Procurement value chain.

Study after study shows that this is a common view held amongst Executives and peer functions alike.

This is not to say that they believe Procurement doesn’t play a role, but rather that they don’t view Procurement as playing a critical role beyond cutting costs and finding suppliers.

Well here’s some news. Procurement is strategic!

Instead of waiting for others to realize that now is the time for Procurement professionals to make their value and contribution known.

Now is the time for Procurement to SELL!

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Overcoming Vendor Management Challenges!

Executives and managers already understand how vital it is to manage employees. However, for those who work in the supply chain industry, there is the added difficulty of vendor management challenges.

Creating efficient and healthy relationships with your third-party partners is essential to this sector, and it could mean the difference between failure and success.

In order to generate sustainable growth, effective vendor management is key — but it requires attention and care. 

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Procurement Outsourcing – Keep your Integrity!

Like so many professionals Procurement people are very proud.  They are proud of the job that they do and the contributions that they make.  And they are most always proud of their ability to negotiate and get the best deal!

But at some point in their careers, especially in the age of Outsourcing, they are likely to have to deal with potential suppliers who provide Procurement services.  Procurement typically negotiates deals for other functions like I/T, HR, Manufacturing and every other area in the company.

Now they are faced with dealing with companies who basically state that they can do a better job at negotiating and Procurement than they do.

In the face of such a perceived, direct challenge to your abilities how do you and your Procurement team deal with this professionally and with integrity?

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Seasoned Leadership in Action™ – An Interview with Jill Button, CEO of ProcurePro!

At Supply Chain Game Changer we believe in sharing experiences and expertise from people in every industry and from across the globe.  As such we have introduced our “Seasoned Leadership in Action” Interview series.  This interview is with Jill Button, President and CEO at ProcurePro.

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The Future of Supply Chain Belongs to Those Who Can Find the Talent!

Supply Chain Managers have a full plate, including finding Supply Chain talent. They must oversee inbound and outbound inventory, manage warehouse space, consider order processing, handle employee complaints, report to stakeholders, supervise new system implementation and address the looming skills gap.

Their duties are integral to the future of supply chain management, and out of these issues, a key problem arises. Attracting the right talent will be key to success in the future of supply chain management, and Supply Chain Managers need to take notice today.

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What is Virtual Procurement and Why Should You Care?

Any of this sound familiar?  Then you need Virtual Procurement!

“With recent minimum wage increases, I need to find better ways to control my costs and to stay profitable while still delivering the highest level of service to my customers.”

“We are too small and can’t afford to hire a full-time procurement person. We are busy and just don’t have the time to focus on procurement.”

“We hope for good prices, but we usually just accept what suppliers offer. We are leaving hard earned money on the table.”

“Contracts are stored in someone’s drawer or lost, never to be seen again. Contracts often expire leaving us scrambling.”

“Supplier relationships are too close. They don’t deliver on their promises. Communication is lacking or too casual.”

If any of these statements resonate with you, please keep reading.

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The Supply Chain Detective™: The Case of the Unpaid Invoices!

The CEO called.  “I need you to go down to Mexico right away.  They aren’t paying their invoices and suppliers are stopping shipments.  Our manufacturing lines are going to stop.  I need it fixed right away.  Get those bills paid now.”

What on earth was going on?  Why didn’t the site just pay their bills?  This shouldn’t be a big deal.  And this was their problem, and responsibility, not mine.  But as with any crisis situation it’s all hands on deck to get the problem fixed.

Little did I realize that while on the surface this seemed like a simple problem, and solution (ie. just pay the darn bills), the reality would prove to be much more complicated.  This would be a case for a Supply Chain Detective!

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Our 2018 Top 10 List (Part 2)!

As 2018 comes to a close we offer a list of the Top 10 most viewed articles that we have published over the last half of the year.

When you look at this list you will see that there is a common theme amongst most of the articles.  That theme is one of “Definitions”.

Based upon tremendous viewer interest this year we began our “What Exactly Is … ” article series to describe definitions and commentary on terms which we often see and hear but don’t always truly understand.

For instance, the term “Supply Chain Management” itself has innumerable definitions and our article What Exactly Is Supply Chain Management? 10 Different Definitions! proved to be one of our most popular articles ever.

So here it is, our Top 10 list for the second half of 2018!

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