Archive for April, 2021

Knowledge Management Framework Can Help Your Business?

Thursday, April 29th, 2021

 

“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.”—Dalai Lama

Today’s post is from our archives at SafeSourcing Inc.

A Knowledge Management framework is a complete system of People, Process, Technology and governance, which ensures that Knowledge management is applied systematically and effectively to improve business results.1.

➢ People; knowledge management roles have to be established in the business, communities need to be set up to share and reuse tacit knowledge, behaviors such as seeking for and sharing knowledge need to be incentivized, and to become ‘the way we work’2

➢ KM Processes; there has to be a tried-and-tested process for capturing, distilling, validating, storing, applying and reusing knowledge, and also for innovating.

➢ KM Technologies; the people and the process need to be supported by enabling technology, which allows knowledge to be found and accessed wherever it resides (in databases, on the Intranet, in people’s heads). IT plays an important role in KM, by providing the technology to allow people to communicate.2

➢ KM Governance; without a governance system that promotes and recognizes sharing and the re-use of knowledge, any attempts to introduce KM are going to be a hard struggle. Stay tuned for next month’s blog where we explore more about Knowledge Management Framework.2

Why is this important in your business?

A strong KM framework is vital for the success of Knowledge Management; as follows 3

➢ With no accountabilities, it is nobody’s job.

➢ With no processes, nobody knows how.

➢ With no technology, nobody has the tools.

➢ With no governance, nobody sees the point.

We hope you enjoyed today’s blog. Stay tuned for next month’s blog where we explore more about Knowledge Cycle.  For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you in exploring your procurement solutions for your business or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative.  We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

We look forward to your comments.

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Resource: 

  1. http://www.knowledge-management-tools.net/different-types-of-knowledge.html
  2. http://www.knowledge-management-cafe.com/faq/what-knowledge-management-
  3. www.knoco.com/knowledg-management-framework-design.ht

 

The Mother of Invention

Wednesday, April 28th, 2021

 

Today’s post is written by Ivy Ray, Senior Procurement Specialist at SafeSourcing Inc.

As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention.  Most often, it is not necessary to recreate the wheel; you just have to make the wheel more efficient. Some of our nation’s top inventions were created to make a task faster, or a product better than it was.  This was true for the food wars during and after WWII.

C.E. Doolin, of Texas, did not create the fried corn chip known as Fritos, nor is Herman Lay the creator potato chips.  Using the model of Henry Ford’s assembly line, they each developed and created a way to mass produce a better, more shelf stable product that we enjoy today. Doolin and Lay battled for years to maintain the market share for snack foods within their regions.

Once they had perfected their product to be resistant to spoilage, they each rallied to convince the U.S. Government to provide it as a filling snack for the troops who were serving all across the world.  The competition remained fierce for years until they combined forces in the 1960s to become Frito-Lay, one the largest snack food manufacturers in the nation.  Currently, revenue from the U.S. grain-based snack and bakery industry accounts for over $100 billion in annual retail sales.

The procurement role has been around since the ancient times, and has evolved over time. The basic benefit of supply chain management is to acquire the necessary materials to keep businesses running.  Supplier competition drives savings and gives your organizations the ability to focus on quality and dependability. There are currently several e-procurement platforms on the market; however the benefits of using an e-procurement solution that offers a complete procure-to-pay suite of applications to help your organization reach your strategic goals.  SafeSourcing has improved the wheel of procurement and will partner to help you improve your organization’s bottom line.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can help your procurement efforts, or on our Risk

Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service RepresentativeWe have an entire team ready to assist

We look forward to your comments.

 

 

Think Fast and Act Faster

Tuesday, April 27th, 2021

 

 

Today’s blog is by Gayl Southard, Vice President of Administration at SafeSourcing Inc.

The phrase “Pushing the envelope” was a termed coined by test pilots such as John Glenn and Chuck Yeager in the 1950’s. “ Each aircraft they flew was said to have an ‘envelope’ of performance. In other words, it was designed to fly safely up to a certain speed for a certain distance and a certain altitude. The job of the test pilots was to “push the envelope” by making the plane go faster, farther, and higher.”1

Harvey MacKay says that what “pushing the envelope” means to him is pushing oneself to maximize your advantage to be better, faster, and smarter in order to get the results you want in business and in life. Today having a great product isn’t enough…people expect things faster, better and cheaper. All parts of your business need to be up to speed. This is particularly important with customer service. You need to handle complaints quickly and efficiently, therefore resulting in a satisfied customer. If you make customers No. 1 they will make you No. 1. Businesses have to keep up or get passed by.  Walmart and Kmart are good examples to learn from. Walmart has continually made changes and reinvented themselves, whereas Kmart remained stagnant struggled (after being acquired by Sears) and went in and out of bankruptcy.

We now live in a world of instant gratification. Consumers expect speed. It is important to get your workforce, employees, contractors, and vendors up to speed by training them to execute tasks faster, innovate, and share best practice ideas. It is important never to sacrifice speed for quality. Train correctly, and constantly to move at a fast pace.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can help your procurement efforts, or on our Risk

Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

References….…………….

1. Harvey Mackey, WSJ, 7/12/2020

Here are Five Basic Tips for Writing a Strategic Online Survey!

Monday, April 26th, 2021

 

Todays post is from our SafeSourcing Archives

Creating an effective, quality written Online Survey that produces the detailed information you require from respondents can be a challenge. In this post, we’ll review 5 quick tips for writing a Strategic Online Survey.

  1. Create a naming convention for the survey and write a brief summarizing introduction. A Survey name and a brief introduction are great ways to give your respondents some detailed background and a frame of reference.
  2. Write a summarizing, brief survey. Begin with an outline of details as to what is important to know for the project. Formulate a question only when the answer will provide data you can use and need.
  3. Think ahead as to how the analysis of the information will look, as in what your end game will look like. This should impact how you format your questions. Statistical reporting may not be able to be performed if your questions to not adhere to the results framework you have pre planned.
  4. Attempt to use closed-ended questions. Limit the number of open-ended questions as these provide and opportunity to the respondent to get off track. Respondents usually have a better understanding of closed-ended questions because they are more straightforward and offer responses they can choose from. An excessive number of open-ended questions can frustrate the respondent and affect the quality of the answers they may provide.
  5. Craft a well-written pertinent subject line for the invitation email you plan on sending with the survey in order to capture your respondents’ attention.

Although these five simple steps are enough to get you started in the right direction reaching out to professionals like SafeSourcing about their SafeSurvey™ tool for additional guidance will guarantee the results you are looking for. A well-written online survey has much higher completion rates and is an effective method for gathering disparate data from differing sources in a format that us usable.

If you’d like to learn more about the SafeSourcing  SafeSurvey™ please contact a SafeSourcing Project Manager.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments

Support the Earth by “Sourcing Green”

Friday, April 23rd, 2021

 

 

Today’s reposted blog is by Margaret Stewart, Director of HR and Administration at SafeSourcing Inc..

Many of us have noticed the global effects of climate change more and more. Pictures of polar ice caps disappearing, the Great Barrier Reef dying, honey bees being few and far between, and record high temperatures breaking everyday are just some of the things we are facing. So, what can each of us do to help slow the damage?

Individually, we can try to consume and waste less. Home recycling has grown in availability and helps to lower the amount of waste sent to landfills and helps reduce the amount of plastic waste polluting ocean life. In addition, we are now able to use more energy efficient machines and lights in our homes. This helps reduce the amount of fossil fuel energy needed and even lowers our utility bills. So, what about our organizations?

Businesses often take the lead in their help combatting climate change. So, what are some things they can do? For one, many retailers are switching from single use plastic bags to reusable bags. These bags will help reduce the amount of bags needing to be made, reducing energy needs, and reduce the number that wind up affecting the ocean life directly. In addition, many companies are also switching from single use plastic bottles and utensils to biodegradable products. Some can be made from hemp, avocado seeds, and even corn and can degrade into the earth in comparably short amounts of time compared to the plastics currently being used. Not all companies have implemented these measures, so what can you do?

The first step to using greener products is to source them. A procurement partner, like SafeSourcing, can help your organization every step of the way, from identifying what options are available to implementing a change with continued support throughout. We can help your own team source the products and services that can help reduce our carbon footprint and can save money while doing so.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can help your procurement efforts, or on our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

 

 

 

 

What does SafeSourcing mean by our White Glove Services?

Thursday, April 22nd, 2021

 

Today’s post is from Ron Southard, CEO of SafeSourcing Inc.

When I was in the US Air Force, our TI (Training Instructor) used to conduct “White Glove” inspections.  The obvious reason was to determine if our barracks were clean, And I mean CLEAN. He ran his fingers across shelves, tops of doors, under beds and anywhere that might contain dust or dirt. Believe me as a new recruit you did not want to have anything show up on those gloves.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary provides a simple definition of White Glove: marked by special care or attention METICULOUS.// white-glove service.

At SafeSourcing, white glove service when it comes to hosting an eRFX RFI, RFP or RFQ which are also called reverse auctions or online bidding includes the following. Our customer services team thoroughly reviews the event strategies, supplier selection, contract terms and conditions, and any other information and requirements a minimum of three times by multiple associates before sending it for customer’s approval. Once the team receives an approval from the client, we send out invitations to the supplier community that have been approved for bidding. Simultaneously, our team plays an interactive role with the suppliers and encourages them to participate in the bidding, reviews all pertinent data with them and responds to any questions and concerns on behalf of our customer and finally teaches them how to use our tool. During the live event, our team is online and on the phone with the suppliers in order to respond to any issues that may arise.

While there are multiple steps and many touch points in the simple process explanation listed above, the results speak for themselves. Our customers over the last 30 months across multiple industries and regardless of company or spend size have averaged 24.7% savings.

If you’d like to learn more about how SafeSourcing can help you source any product, service or commodity that you require for your business, please contact a SafeSourcing customer services representative.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

 

 

 

 

When Launching New Initiatives– let your sourcing partner do the work.

Wednesday, April 21st, 2021

 

Todays post is by Ron Southard, CEO at SafeSourcing Inc.

When implementing a new program of any nature, your sourcing partner is a wealth of assistance; they can accomplish a majority of the legwork so you can concentrate on other priorities.  In the seafood category, how do companies begin their search for new reliably sustainable seafood partners?  How can they be certain that their new partner will adhere to the certifications required by the Global Aquaculture Alliance and Sustainable Fisheries Partnership?  Most importantly, once their new seafood partner is determined, how will they maintain a price that does not drastically damage their budget?

The answer is simple—Turn to your Sourcing Partner.

SafeSourcing can provide you with quality, vetted suppliers with the ability to fulfill all of your seafood and other category needs.  Even more, they can assist in certification identification of all suppliers, this way if you have partnerships , you can remain compliant with their practices.  Once certified suppliers are located, SafeSourcing can provide the opportunity for price compression making your new program financially attractive.

When implementing a new initiative or program, focus on the implementation and let your sourcing partner handle the rest.

For more information on SafeSourcing and how we can assist with this process, please contact a Customer Service Representative for more information.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

Is your parking lot in need of critical repair from the harsh winter season?

Monday, April 19th, 2021

 

Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Vice President of Development at SafeSourcing Inc.

It is hard to believe but winter is finally over and with it came All of the harsh conditions such as rain, snow, ice, and the chemicals used to melt these conditions can take a toll on the maintained areas.  Now that spring is here, it is time to have your lots and driveways inspected to make sure that these minor repairs that need to be done can be completed before they become larger more expensive issues.  One of the items to inspect are the drainage systems.  The drainage systems were probably neglected for most of the winter and can become clogged with debris such as leaves, twigs, mulch, and other large pieces of debris.  A clogged or semi-clogged drain can cause corrosion to occur beneath the surface and standing water above the ground that cannot be drained correctly may cause the pavement to crumble.  Another thing to look for is small cracks in the pavement.  When the weather changes from cold to hot it can cause small cracks to appear in the pavement. If you do find that you have these small cracks, then repair the cracks before further damage occurs.  Not repairing cracks will eventually lead to the development of potholes which will lead to more costly problems.  Once all the damage areas are fixed, the pavement should be cleaned, and seal coated.  This should be done about every two to three years to help protect the asphalt.  The seal coating protects the surface from water, sun, and harsh chemicals.  Below are some tips for keeping your parking lot well maintained.

  • Routinely Inspect
  • Keep it Clean
  • Keep it Sealed
  • Remove all Chemical Stains
  • Look for Bad Drainage Areas
  • Fill Cracks and Potholes
  • Refresh the Striping

If you need help finding a licensed maintenance company to maintain your parking lot, feel free to contact SafeSourcing.   Our SafeSourceIt™ Global Supplier Database contains hundreds of vetted companies in this space. We also have lists of Insurance Agencies if your non-repaired lots cause customer property damage or injury.

SafeSourcing  can gather all the necessary information for you and help you decide which vendor meets your needs.  For more information on how SafeSourcing can help your procurement efforts, or on our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative.  We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

 

 

It is All in the Name

Friday, April 16th, 2021

 

 

Today’s blog is by Gayl Southard, Vice President of Administration for SafeSourcing.

A year ago, as the COVID 19 pandemic began to emerge, Corona Beer’s Brand name suddenly became very awkward.  The marketing executives responsible for selling Corona didn’t ignore reports.  John Alvarado, Senior VP for Brand Marketing at the beer division of Constellation Brands, Inc. stated, “By and large we were experiencing many of the same challenges as other marketers, but we had the added layer and pressure that this virus was using the name ‘corona.’”1 As the year ended, sales in stores have held up.  Sales for Corona Beer and hard seltzer made up 6.78% of the category through December 6, virtually unchanged from a year ago.  There was no evident negative impact on the brand.  The familiar brand and popularity helped to ride out a very tough year.  During the early stages of the pandemic, when people were shopping so infrequently, they relied on trusted beer brands rather than buying craft beers they had never tried.

“Corona’s favorability score among consumers 21 years old and up dipped this year, perhaps reflecting some confusion or association between the brand and the Coronavirus, according to Victoria Sakura, managing director of brand intelligence at Morning Consult.”2 It was determined that consumers did not relate the name of the beer with the virus.  Giving any attention publicly to the name was purposely avoided.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can help your procurement efforts, or on our Risk

Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service RepresentativeWe have an entire team ready to assist you today.

References………………………

1, 2 Nat Ives, WSJ, 12/22/2020

Consistency in your Supplies​  

Thursday, April 15th, 2021

 

Today’s blog is by Margaret Stewart, Director of HR and Administration at SafeSourcing Inc.

Like most things in life, we must be consistent to see the best results. We must brush our teeth twice a day to keep cavities away. We must work out regularly to maintain strength. We eat healthy foods to stay healthy. A similar routine can be said for your organization too. While business consistency may vary a bit from health and hygiene, it still affects the health of your business.

A lot of organizations today regularly need and/or sell supplies. This puts nearly every organization somewhere in the supply chain and most of these organizations will say that being consistent is key. You must have a steady supply of goods, have a consistent quality of those goods, and also maintain fair pricing. If any of these consistencies fails, so often does the business too.

Whether you are a supplier or a buyer of supplies and you find that consistency is lacking, a procurement professional can help. If you want to find a new supplier for the goods or services you already purchase, then a procurement professional, like SafeSourcing, can streamline your efforts, assist your team with their work, obtain competitive pricing, or simply find the vendors that might be a good fit. If you are a supplier, SafeSourcing can match you with the company that is already looking for the goods or services you might offer. The procurement partnership can help all those involved and help keep you supply chain consistent and working the way you want it.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can help your procurement efforts, or on our Risk

Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service RepresentativeWe have an entire team ready to assist you today.