Today?s post is by Margaret Stewart, Executive Assistant at SafeSourcing.

We all are aware of the ever growing use of and demand for technology. It is a resource that most rely on daily, but how well are you utilizing the resources you have?

Many of us are constantly using technology, whether it?s at work, home, or on our phones. We can forego maps when we travel and can share pictures with friends in real time. The possibilities seem limitless. But as soon as we think we have the best technology out there, something newer and better comes out. For most of us, it is not feasible to keep up with all the latest technology devices, but there are some forms of technology that you can keep up with.

One under-utilized tech resource is cloud-based storage. You may have hundreds or thousands of your own pictures saved on social media sites, but what about other important documents? Cloud based services provide storage of your important documents, no matter if they are personal or professional, they provide easy access to them from anywhere, and are safe even if your computer or device crashes. Whether for your tax returns or business contacts, cloud storage is technology that should be used.

Another under-used aspect of technology is resource utilization. We generally know that we will not have to wonder anything for more than a couple of hours before we search for it and find an answer, but there is so much information available through technology that a person can feel overwhelmed. For instance, if you want to create a contract with a roofing company, where would you begin? You can search for ?contracts,? but you may spend hours just sorting out unnecessary information. All the searching may hinder you from recognizing that companies and sites you are already familiar with, like public libraries or business associates, may provide the resource you are looking for. Information overload can cause an oversight when researching, but sometimes just exploring the resources we already have can provide the technology, information, and help we need.

We, at SafeSourcing, enjoy bringing this blog to you every day and hope you find value in it. For more information about how SafeSourcing can bring you up-to-tech in your sourcing information quest or on our ?Rick Free? trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

We look forward to your comments.

Today?s post is by Margaret Stewart, Executive Assistant at SafeSourcing.

During a long day, computers often slow down and simply don?t function as well as they could. That?s when rebooting your computer can get it up and running at full capacity again. Just like your computer, a long day can wear on us too, and there are things you can do to reboot yourself. Just like your computer, rebooting yourself can help you process information and allow your work day to run smoothly.?

One great way to recharge and reboot is to take a break. You can get up, walk away, or stretch. Sitting for long periods can affect your body negatively, but by simply standing up and moving, you can improve your circulation and improve your focus. If you aren?t able to get away, you can still stretch at your desk, helping your focus and reducing stress. It is also important to maintain good posture while you work at a computer. Keeping good posture can help prevent fatigue as well as discomfort.

Another way to reboot your day is by snacking healthy. We all need fuel to make it through long days, and picking the right food can make a huge impact on how you feel. Healthy snacks, like fruit or nuts, not only provide the essentials your body needs, but also will prevent that sluggish feeling you may get from unhealthy food choices.

We, at SafeSourcing, want your work days to run as smoothly as possible. It is important to practice ways that help you to efficiently utilize your time. For more information on how SafeSourcing can help make your procurement work day run more efficiently so that?you can take advantage of some of the ideas listed above, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

We look forward to your comments.

Today’s post is by Mark Davis; Sr. Vice President and COO at SafeSourcing.

This holiday season there has been much made about the many companies that are offering “Black Friday” deals early; some before Thanksgiving and some on Thanksgiving Day.  Many people have criticized this practice as infringing on the time we all get to spend with our families by requiring us to be in the stores to get the best deals.  These deals are seldom about “value” or what more that company can offer beyond price, they are about one thing; low prices, bringing more shoppers to sell more product.

As I have followed these news stores I have realized how many of these companies and retailers are the same ones that have refused to participate in our customers’ online procurement events because their business is more than just price, it is about “value” and a relationship.  In reality it seems to be about something else whether they admit it or not; control.  I say this because their holiday business models resemble nothing that speaks of value, nothing that speaks of safe products, and nothing that speaks of the relationships they want to form.  They only speak of “door busting” sale prices to drive more sales.   I am not saying that there is anything necessarily wrong with this, but I am saying there is a glaring difference from the message from these same companies I am used to getting.

Also during this same time I have been contacted by companies trying to sell me software and services stating that if I can make a business decision before the end of the year they can give me a great deal.  These are the same companies that I have personally tried to engage in online RFPs and RFQs for our customers that historically refused to participate due to the fact that their solutions are about finding the right fit for their customers and price is only discussed after that fit is found.  In many of these cases all I have done is put in a simple inquiry of their offering and they have repeatedly offered me better and better and pricing.  No mention of how their value is the best, just better pricing.

My point in today’s blogs is that as buyers, you should not be forced to accept the response that suppliers won’t participate in your events because of the supposed “cheapening” of their product or service.  In the end it is only about control and not wanting to have to compete with other suppliers and vendors.  These same suppliers in any other situation are willing to give you the world in order to get your business as long as it is on their terms.  So stay firm in your processes and the guidelines for your sourcing projects; it isn’t that these suppliers can’t participate, it is that they choose not to.

At SafeSourcing we run dozens of events every month for our customers and constantly hear how a supplier cannot be involved in the process for the reasons mentioned above.  We know better and so do you. Our process truly is focused on the greatest value for our customers with price being only one component of that value. For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you 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.

Today’s post is by Mark Davis; Sr. Vice President and COO at SafeSourcing.
For many more reasons than I could possibly go into in this short blog, this Father’s Day has been a very special one for me.  I have so many reasons to celebrate as I watch the U.S. Open and spend spectacular time with my family and my dad via Skype (how times have changed!).  As I reflect on this day it makes me think of all the advice that fathers, mine and millions of others, have given their children over the years and how simple the ideas are and yet at the same time how powerfully applicable to the business world we all live in every day.

In today’s post I want to go back to some of that advice and see how much value still stands in concepts that are so simple.

Treat people as you expect to be treated – The procurement space can be brutal.  Suppliers are trying to deliver value and make money; customers are trying to get as much value as possible while controlling costs.  These two things can often create clashes and tension as both sides work to get the things they want out of a business relationship.  The key that comes here is to remember that the same suppliers you are beating up on price will be the same ones you are asking for rush service and special assistance on down the road.  Creating partnerships with the best value and cost is the goal.  Everyone is a supplier and everyone is a customer at some level and applying this simple advice can help forge the greatest value for your company.

When you know you are right it’s ok to stand your ground – The process of procuring goods is not a new one, in fact evidence of tracking supplies and services dates back as far as ancient Egypt as scribes would record orders taken and those fulfilled on papyrus rolls.  With such a long history it is no wonder that certain ideas and processes have developed that continue to show up even today.  As the world changes, and tools change, processes change, and capabilities improve, this fatherly advice has never been so applicable.  Many misconceptions from the past about how to source goods, what could and couldn’t be sourced and how to deal with vendors have evolved into new possibilities.  Knowing your category, industry and vendors is the foundation to build your projects on.  Sometimes these projects will go against normal approaches but if you have done your homework and believe your strategy is sound, stand your ground and fight for what you believe is best for your company even if your suppliers or internal customers grumble about the change.

Plan your work; work your plan –  I have heard this advice over the years from many people I have admired and respected.  It is simple and encompasses everything that best sourcing projects need in two pieces.  1.  Plan the work (create the project); this involves research and a knowledge of what you are going after that goes beyond a 15 minute Google search.  It means researching the market, indexes, new technologies and trends, new suppliers and new government regulations that may affect your goals.   Knowing your category allows you to plan the work with measureable milestones teams can follow and be a part of.  2.  Work the Plan you have created with little exception.  Once you have created the plan for the project, stick to the timelines and employ leverage where you need it to keep projects moving.  Everyone is always going to be overloaded with work, so if you are not the one working your plan every day you will be replaced in our people’s priorities by someone else who is.

Don’t spit in the wind and don’t take any wooden nickels –  I will be honest, I have no frame of reference by which to link these sage pieces of advice back to the world of procurement, but they both always seemed like really good ideas.

We, at SafeSourcing, hope your Father’s Day was full of great memories and happy times!  We enjoy bringing this blog to you every week and hope you find value in it.   For more information on how we can help you with your procurement needs 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.

The article?was written for the April 2011 edition of Technology First by Ron?Effective Supplier Data Management Improves Procurement Process CEO of SafeSourcing and Tim Hull President and CEO of? TDH Marketing in Dayton Ohio.

The following excerpt is from the above titled article.

There is more to an effective e-procurement program than cost reduction.

While buyers frequently record cost reductions in the range of 30% to 40% when utilizing an e-procurement or reverse auction process, the issues of quality and performance cannot be overlooked.

The foundation for successful e-procurement is the supplier database that has been developed and is maintained by the e-procurement service provider. Significant time and capital investment goes into the development of an effective supplier database. It provides the buyer with a recognizable advantage in terms of classification of supplier capabilities, historical performance and the quality of the products provided.

The scope, accuracy and functionality of the supplier database are critical components for buyers when using e-procurement. These elements allow buyers to identify the best sources of supply quickly and cost-effectively, oftentimes uncovering alternative sources that were previously not even considered. This is one of the major advantages of including the services of an online reverse auction service provider like SafeSourcing in the procurement process. Supplier data management is an excellent example of pairing
technology advancements with intellectual property to produce an effective, economical support tool that benefits both suppliers and buyers ? better pricing, better quality and better sources of supply.

To view the article in its entirety please follow the link, Effective Supplier Data Management Improves Procurement Process.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

Professionals that work in the supply chain should be encouraged to seek CPSM qualification.

The Certified Professional in Supply Management® is the qualification that supply management professionals strive to earn. The CPSM® will be relevant internationally and reflect the expanded knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be a successful supply management professional.
 
Certification for the CPSM is offered by the Institute for Supply Management or (ISM) which was founded in 1915 and is the largest supply management association in the world as well as one of the most respected. ISM’s mission is to lead the supply management profession through its standards of excellence, research, promotional activities, and education. ISM’s membership base includes more than 40,000 supply management professionals with a network of domestic and international affiliated associations. ISM is a not-for-profit association that provides opportunities for the promotion of the profession and the expansion of professional skills and knowledge.

Supply chain workers should be proud of their profession and earning your CPSM is one way to brag about it.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.

Professionals that work in the supply chain should be encouraged to seek CPSM qualification.

The Certified Professional in Supply Management? is the qualification that supply management professionals strive to earn. The CPSM? will be relevant internationally and reflect the expanded knowledge, skills and abilities needed to be a successful supply management professional.
?
Certification for the CPSM is offered by the Institute for Supply Management or (ISM) which was founded in 1915 and is the largest supply management association in the world as well as one of the most respected. ISM’s mission is to lead the supply management profession through its standards of excellence, research, promotional activities, and education. ISM’s membership base includes more than 40,000 supply management professionals with a network of domestic and international affiliated associations. ISM is a not-for-profit association that provides opportunities for the promotion of the profession and the expansion of professional skills and knowledge.

Supply chain workers should be proud of their profession and earning your CPSM is one way to brag about it.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments.