Today’s post is by Troy Lowe; Director of Development at SafeSourcing.

With the release of the new iPhone 6, you may be considering a new cell phone or carrier.  Choosing a new carrier can be a tough decision with all of the carriers available and all of the different packages that they offer.  Many carriers know that for a business to switch phone carriers it can be a strenuous task, therefore they may offer incentives to do so.

the right plan that is cost effective and delivers the type of service that you need may not be as easy as one would think.  Make sure to review the plans in depth and read the fine print.  Some plans state that they can have up to a maximum number of lines for a low monthly cost but only some of the lines maybe used for Smart Phones the remainder of the lines are for Basic Phones only.  The pricing for the plan may also only be for the first year and additional costs may be added for the remainder of the contract.

When making this decision it is not just all about the cost.  Here are a few other factors that you may want to consider.

•  Which phone(s) meets the needs of your organization?
•  How is the carrier’s coverage in your area(s)?
•  Which data package will I need?
•  Are the data speeds sufficient?
•  Do they have a plan to meet you current and future needs?
•  Will the customer service meet your employee’s needs?

At SafeSourcing, we can gather all the necessary information for your company and help you decide what carrier would be a good fit for your needs.  If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help your business, 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 blog is by Margaret Stewart, Executive Assistant at SafeSourcing.

Often, the best way to stay on top of the business trend is to know where it is heading. Any predictions are pure speculation; however, there are ways to make educated guesses based on current information.

First, ask the right questions. Often times, all you need are the right questions to point you to the best answer. Yes and No questions fill this exact purpose. They are often the simplest to answer and can guide you to where you should be going.

For example, do you think technology will increase in the future? Do you think consumers want more technology? Would better technology help your business? If you answered yes to these, then you likely have a better direction of where to take your business.

Next, do your homework. So now that you have an idea of what the future might bring, now is the time for specifics. In order to know what the specifics are, you need to do your research. For the case above, you may want to start researching what technology is currently available. Then you can research what areas are being explored. This can provide an even more pointed direction for the future.

Finally, look for the critics. The most knowledgeable person knows the ups and downs to any changes. Again for the case above, see what people do not like about technology. See what roadblocks are present for certain aspirations. Look at what some of the technology could bring.

By focusing on these three steps, you can better prepare yourself and your business for what may come and may even get a jumpstart ahead of your competitors.

If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help your business prepare for the future or on our “Risk 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 Blog is by Ryan Melowic Director of Special Projects at SafeSourcing.

Today I will be reviewing the items required in constructing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for the Material Handling Equipment (MHE) Category.

Experience teaches us that in the MHE category, there are five major items that require review in order to understand the TCO for the MHE category.  Understanding these items in detail, how they interact and what part they play in the TCO for MHE provides key stakeholders and other decision makers the information needed to make strategic award of business decisions.   The five major items that make up the TCO in MHE are as follows.

  1. Purchase Price
  2. Maintenance
  3. Labor
  4. Electricity
  5. Interest

Over the life of your company’s spend for MHE equipment; your company can expect to see a breakdown in these items weighted as follows. Labor is the largest piece of the spend with actual purchase price being second and maintenance third and typically a few points below the purchase price. Electricity is the fourth component of TCO followed by interest which generally represents three to four percentage points. 

Understanding these components of your total price will provide you the opportunity to pull the various levers required in order to maximize price control of your MHE spend.  SafeSourcing has extensive experience in this category and knows what these levers are and how to manipulate them.

SafeSourcing has recently seen double digit savings in this category.

For further information on how SafeSourcing can help your company with the MHE category, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative.

We look forward to and appreciate your comments

Now you have to be very careful and clear what you are asking for.

You hoped to get a product based on your specification that looked something like this.

Unfortunately you ended up with a product that looks exactly like this, and also spits at you to boot.

Remember that “A camel is a horse created by committee” so be careful what you ask for because that is not necessarily what you’ll get .

If you want really clean well thought out specifications and terms and conditions, please contact a SafeSourcing customers services representative.

Thanks.

Today’s post is by Michael Figueroa, Account Manager at SafeSourcing

Reaching out to vendors to obtain quotes or information is only as effective as the quality of specifications and requirements communicated. Variables such as size, quantity, color, material, mixture, function, distribution, configuration, integration, certification and compliance, or even unknown variables, can often times be readily identified by the individual with deep understanding of the product or service. Subject matter experts (SME) are often time the only link a procurement manager has within their organization to the processes that require the purchase. 

Having the wrong party involved
Getting buy-in from an internal resource who isn’t well-informed about how the product/service is to be utilized can undermine the value of a request for quote. Without the right understanding, a vendor can misinterpret specifications that leave too much open to interpretation. A SME with good insight can inform the process to keep the requirements in line with expectations.

Vendor referrals
Often times a SME will already have some preferred vendors in mind, and their referrals can be a great starting point to finding a full complement of vendors that can meet your needs. Furthermore, previously known vendors often work in the specialization that your SME operates within, and may be familiar enough with the industry to forge a smooth transaction.

Confirm what you know
Make sure to check what you learn from the SME with the information you have on previously purchased products, because a misunderstanding can be costly. Also, if you are bringing a new vendor to the table the SME may not always be on board with the change, even if it needs to happen. Make sure there are no conflicts of interest steering the project in the wrong direction.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist your team with this process 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.