Supply Chain Management, and in particular the tasks associated with procurement activities, are often thought of as a “do-it-yourself” function by business leaders. Many organizations still believe that it is something that most people can do. After all, people buy cars, houses, and groceries, so they have years of experience in this area, right? The link between highly trained Supply Chain Professionals and the overall impact of this function are often lost by today’s organizational leaders. This gap in recognition of the value that Supply Chain Professionals provide, leave many organizations with the perception that they are gaining significant value from this function, when in reality this is simply not the case.
I often work with clients who take a “3 bids and a buy” approach to purchasing, believing they are getting the “biggest bang for their buck”. What they fail to recognize, however, is that in many cases they are limiting their opportunity for significant savings and increased service levels, something that a trained Supply Chain Professional would spot right away. We need to remember that there is a reason why Professionals take the training they take, and are held to stringent standards they are held to….Trained Professionals add significant value to the bottom line.
Is your organization leaving opportunities untapped?
