I hope that you have enjoyed the article \u201cManaging IT & Complex Category Purchasing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t miss updates on Procurement & Supply Chain, Subscribe here!<\/p>\n
One of the prescribed practices for getting complex category purchasing under control that was shared in the article was \u201cConsolidate Ordering Methods.\u201d\u00a0 In describing this practice, I suggested that you \u201c<\/b>Provide your internal customers with a process where the standardized products and contracted suppliers are part of the first and easiest method of their product research.\u201d<\/p>\n
This implies something.<\/p>\n
This implies that you know \u2013 or will learn \u2013 how your internal customers conduct their product research.\u00a0 You need to truly understand what drives their behavior if you want to change it.\u00a0 You need to be curious.<\/p>\n
Understanding internal customer\u2019s product research can begin by asking variations on the basic questions:\u00a0 when, who, why, and how.<\/p>\n
When?:<\/b>\u00a0 When is the very first moment when your internal customers determine that a product will be needed?\u00a0 Hint:\u00a0 It is not when the requisition is created and probably even happens well before the budget for the current year is approved in some cases.<\/p>\n
Who?:\u00a0<\/b> Which individuals are involved in determining that a product is needed?\u00a0 Is it one person?\u00a0 Is product identification delegated to someone?\u00a0 Is a team involved?\u00a0 Are there approvers of product choices?<\/p>\n
Why?:<\/b>\u00a0 Why is the need for a product purchase determined?\u00a0 What factors drive that decision?\u00a0 Is it something like a new project?\u00a0 Is it a new problem that needs to be solved?\u00a0 Is it to take advantage of an opportunity that someone identified?\u00a0 Is it simply to use budget that will be lost if not spent (it happens!)?<\/p>\n
How?:<\/b>\u00a0 How do internal customers conduct research on determining a product that will fit the need?\u00a0 Do they contact the first supplier they know who provides such products?\u00a0 Do they go on the web?\u00a0 Do they consult your internal purchasing system for standard items?<\/p>\n
Once you know these things, you can start figuring out what you need to do to change behavior.\u00a0 If it sounds like you\u2019re being a psychologist, well\u2026you kind of are!\u00a0 Maybe some day \u201cpurchasing psychologist\u201d will be a job title!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I hope that you have enjoyed the article \u201cManaging IT […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":4080,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-procurement"],"yoast_head":"\n