{"id":11082,"date":"2021-04-05T00:16:51","date_gmt":"2021-04-05T04:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/?page_id=11082"},"modified":"2021-10-05T10:51:49","modified_gmt":"2021-10-05T14:51:49","slug":"millennials","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.certitrek.com\/nlpa\/news\/purchasing-articles\/millennials\/","title":{"rendered":"Millennials"},"content":{"rendered":"

What Negotiators Can Learn From Millennials<\/h3><\/div><\/div><\/div>

PurchTips edition #366<\/p>\n<\/div>

How Can Millennial Traits Be Used By Procurement Negotiators?<\/h4><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Today\u2019s business leaders scramble to learn how to manage millennials in the workplace. But we can actually learn a lot by recognizing millennials\u2019 positive traits. Here are 3 millennial traits that procurement negotiators can apply in their work:<\/p>\n

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  1. Refusing to defer to what is customary.<\/strong>\u00a0It used to be customary for most middle- and upper-class citizens to only take taxis as a means of public transportation. Independent drivers using their own vehicles were condescendingly referred to as \u201cjitneys\u201d and associated with impoverished communities. Now, millennials comfortably use ridesharing programs like Uber. In procurement negotiations, you shouldn\u2019t agree to certain terms just because it was customary to do so in the past. For example, it has been customary to agree to suppliers\u2019 demands that limit of liability contract provisions establish an equal liability limit for both sides. However, in some cases, the supplier absolutely should be subject to a higher limit of liability than the customer. Negotiate what is appropriate, not what is customary.<\/li>\n
  2. Bringing back good things that went out of style.<\/strong>\u00a0To some, undercut haircuts and Wayfarer glasses look like styles their grandfathers wore. But millennials have brought them back and \u2013 ya know what? \u2013 they look good in 2017! With \u201cwin-win negotiation\u201d being overemphasized in recent years, many procurement negotiators have failed to learn how to negotiate when the going gets tough. Win-win is indeed appropriate in many situations, but not all situations. Today\u2019s procurement negotiators need to bring back hardball negotiation when it makes sense to use it.<\/li>\n
  3. Looking at the complete picture.<\/strong>\u00a0Millennials factor in many variables in their purchase decisions. Merchants appeal to this movement by branding their products as \u201ccruelty-free,\u201d \u201cethically sourced,\u201d and \u201ceco-friendly.\u201d Procurement negotiators, too, must look at all aspects of a deal, not just price. Like millennials, procurement negotiators must bargain for the most socially responsible performance from their suppliers while not ignoring classic variables such as total cost and value, payment terms, warranty, quality, delivery, service guarantees, and innovation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Want A More Rewarding Procurement
    \nCareer?<\/p><\/h5><\/div>

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    Frustrated With Where Your Procurement Team Is?<\/h5><\/div>
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    Are you struggling to get your procurement department where you want it to be? If you\u2019re like most procurement leaders, you have a team of buyers that isn\u2019t quite hitting their performance metrics. Your procurement department lacks credibility with stakeholders and management. And you feel that the capabilities of your team members vary tremendously from person to person.<\/p>\n

    Download \u201cThe Executive\u2019s Guide to the SPSM\u00ae Certification.\u201d You\u2019ll learn how others with the same challenges used the SPSM Certification to transform their departments into a highly-effective procurement organizations.<\/p>\n<\/div>

    Download<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Want to get more procurement articles by email?<\/h3><\/div>

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