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They promised much but, too often, delivered little. Cross-functional teams seemed to be the answer to complex projects, cutting through bureaucratic tape, promoting collaboration, and putting an end to separate departments chasing their own goals, often to the detriment of other functions within the same organisation. Unfortunately, they haven’t always…
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Let’s be blunt. Negotiating with large enterprises is not the same as negotiating with small businesses. More specifically, we cannot apply the same risk management standards to a small company that we can to a larger one. It’s a pickle, because we want small businesses to be a part of our supply…
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We need to change our perception of procurement. For too long, it’s been synonymous with red tape and roadblocks. When people think of procurement, they think of a lumbering, complex, process-heavy beast that slows everything down. But that’s procurement done wrong. Procurement is meant to make life easier and more…
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It’s a testament to what humanity can achieve when we work together that vaccines for COVID-19 are already being administered. While it’s a cause for celebration, it’s important to remember that it will be a long time before we reach worldwide herd immunity (if ever). As procurement professionals, we know…
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Look away now. We’re about to tell you the cost of poorly executed procurement projects. A 2015 Deloitte report estimates that poor procurement practices cost the Australian government $239 million per annum. That’s not an insignificant number, needless to say, especially in light of 2020. ‘Poor procurement practice’ is an umbrella…
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Reverse Auctions are a great way to generate significant cost savings. According to CNBC, companies are typically saving 10 to 20% by using reverse auctions, but I’ve also seen others quote savings over 30%. However, it’s got to be done right. So, how do you run a successful reverse auction?…
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It feels like just yesterday that I received my first lesson in ‘commercial nous’. That was 25 years ago. At that time, I was a mechanic. The most valuable thing I learnt was not tightening bolts, changing oil, and replacing spark plugs. It was how to look someone in the eye, shake…
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Just last year, we published a blog outlining the value of a particular auction type: the reverse auction. It listed 5 benefits, which included: The reasons above are as valid now as they were a year ago, and will remain so in 2021. This has led in part to reverse…
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Life used to be simple. There were blue collar workers and white collar workers. You either wore denim to the factory or starched and pressed whites to the office. Now, though, the coronavirus lockdown has introduced a “new” collar. The pyjama shirt collar. When we begin to leave lockdown, some…
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Choosing a supplier is like choosing a life partner. The wise decision means you’ll have a loving, supporting companion who’ll stick with you through sickness and health until death parts you. The wrong choice leads to a bitter divorce or, worse, a loveless marriage that you stick with because the…
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