5 Tasks for Purchasing Teams in 2007
Business improvement activities can bring significant benefits to companies through either lowering overhead or costs and improving efficiency. Purchasing functions are not isolated from this and there are many projects that can be undertaken within procurement to deliver additional value to their parent organizations.
In this article we look at 5 improvement ideas for purchasing teams to try out in 2007.
1. Get Leaner
Purchasing teams are renowned for being bureaucratic - from requisition and authorization through to eventual distribution - processes can be "paper" intensive and overtly complicated. In 2007 why not set about dusting down your business processes and cutting the fat - look for excessive steps - are 3 signatures on every Purchase order really required? Analyze your processes end to end - what adds value - what doesn't - what can be cut out or automated?
2. Assess Training needs
The CIPS organization suggest a toolkit for anyone involved in purchasing - this contains fundamentals on Purchasing, Negotiation, Relationship Management, Contract Management to name but a few - take a good look at your team - does everyone have the right skills? Correctly trained staff help lower business risks (correct T&C's for example) and get more done quicker.
3. Visit your suppliers
Any idea who your top 10 suppliers are? When did you last visit them? Relationships with your major suppliers can be crucial to your success - why not set up a quarterly review with your major suppliers - use these to assess performance - discuss capabilities and future requirements - closer collaboration will reap rewards.
4. Know your customer
Badger your sales team to get you involved with your end customer - knowing what they think of the products that you help put together can be vital in making purchasing decisions - are they happy with the quality of your products - what projects do they have coming up (how does this meet your supplier profile), Do they have any problems that you may be able to influence.
5. Measure, Measure, Measure
Understand your performance - the adage "you cant manage what you can't see" is truer today than it's ever been - understand your spend profile, know your commodities - understand your supplier delivery performance - Speak to your IT department - get hold of that data and know your business - make it accessible to your team- you might be surprised what you might find.
Related Tags: supply chain, purchasing, procurement
The author runs the blog Supply Chain City which discusses topics regarding Supply chain including procurement processes and supply chain improvement
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- 5 Reasons That a Restaurant Should Use a Restaurant Recruiter
Have you ever noticed how many restaurants pop-up over time but then disappear just as quickly? Runn - Does Money Motivate?
Some say money can't buy happiness, but data shows that for those who can barely pay the monthly bil - Because Workforce Friendly Policies Payoff
Employer-sponsored wellness programs are becoming more popular as companies strive to maintain a hea - EAP Value
Life would be simpler if we could set aside our personal issues and emotional baggage when the workd - Hiring an Expert SEO Company to Improve Your Online Business
Search Engine Optimization or SEO Services are used to make your website or online business popular - Why Safety Training at Workplace is Important
Safety training at workplace should be one of the top priorities of your business. An effective safe - Team Building: Brain and Sweat to Attain Company's Central Goal
Are you one of those employees branded ineffective and unproductive? Reasons might be the sense of d - Security Alarm System
It is a must that houses and offices install a security alarm when we speak about safety reasons. Se - Workplace Safety Tips
When we speak of safety based on books, its importance is next to food. It is essential to all indiv - The Benefits Of Lease-to-own Properties
One of the hit real estate investments today is to buy properties that will later be put up as "leas
Most viewed articles in this category:
- A Map Mural for Your Business
Yay! That retail store you've been planning has finally opened its doors and you are officially in b - Attracting Customers Through An Improved Shopping Experience
So many new shopping malls and supermarkets are put up every year. Many more are already in business - "To Oz!": Leading a Resilient-High Achievement Organization
One of my favorite movies is "The Wizard of Oz" based on the book by Frank Baum. The story is about - 5 Critical Items Never to be Included in Cost Benefit Analysis
When dealing with decisions using Cost Benefit Analysis techniques it is very important to follow th - Collaboration and Change
I’m an expert on change and leadership, but my most popular speaking topic this past year, and - Workplace Gap
In your workplace, are you a manager with a smart group of people and they aren't responsive to your - Leadership - The Proper Relationship with Subordinates
In the army, "the men" are kept separated from those known as "the officers." This comes from the id - The 10 Most Asked Questions of Cost Benefit Analysis
When dealing with decisions using Cost Benefit techniques it is very important to follow the proven - Cubicle Space Planning
Space planning is an essential element of any project and efficient planning serves the dual purpose - Why Passenger Surveys are a Transport Operators Best Friend
Public transport operators who already use passenger surveys may not fully appreciate the multiple b
