Category Archives: Best Practices

How Do You Find an Innovative New Vendor? (Repost)

Last summer, Brian Sommer over on ZDNet ran a great post on how to easily identify the up and coming innovative vendors in the space. All you have to do is look at who the big established players are trash talking! After all, if the company isn’t innovative, they have nothing to fear from the competitor, and will say something like “yes they also have a solution suite that could potentially help you, but” … “they are missing these key features that we have found to be instrumental to customer success” or “we have done more implementations in your space” or “we have a more mature professional services organization” or “we fit better with the platforms and processes that you have in place” or “we are more committed to customer success” or “we have won more awards proving the maturity of our solution” and just shrug them off. But if the company is innovative and poses a real threat, they will try to trash-talk it out of your candidate pool. And they will use predictable language like “what they are offering is a cool feature, not an application” or “they’re inconsequential” or “their solution is immature and / or will never catch on“. These phrases are your first clue that this is a vendor you should be looking at. It might not be mature enough to meet all of your needs today, but maybe if you can bolt on the innovative new features they are offing to your existing ERP, you can, with a little elbow grease, extract more value and, as the company grows, be the first to take advantage of their new features and applications as an early adopter preferred customer.

And not only did Brian do a great job of pointing this out, he also created a great table that summarizes all of the common phrases an established, fairly un-innovative, company will use to trash talk an innovative startup in its infancy, a rapidly growing new competitor, and an upstart that’s all grown up now. And then, to complete the picture, he also points out what they say when the decide to acquire the grown up upstart because it has a more innovative solution.

Click on the image to be taken to the full table, and click this link to read Brian’s full post on the Software Smack Talk Playbook. It’s awesome.

The Complete Software Smack Talk Playbook

I Am the Very Model of a Modern Global Sourceror!


I am the very model of a modern Global Sourceror,
With information analytic, subjective, and objector,
I know the rights of charter, and I quote the rates historical
From Vancouver to Singapore, in order categorical;

I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the lin’r and quadratical,
About scenarios optimized, I’m teeming with a lot o’ news,
With many baseline costs for the choice of the blue ocean routes.

From the Global-Sourceror’s Song, included below

And on a more serious note, Soheila Lunney, co-author of The Procurement Game Plan, recently asked a good question in her recent article over on ThomasNet.com “Are You a Member of a Modern Procurement Organization?”

A lot of Supply Management Organizations will claim to be modern, but many still have a ways to go. In her article, Soheila outlined some basics of a modern Procurement department that can provide you with a measuring stick for your own organization. If you can answer yes to the (vast) majority of these questions, then you too are the very model of a modern Global Sourceror!

  1. Does the head of Supply Management report directly to the CEO?
  2. Is Supply Management actively involved in high-level, long-term strategic planning?
  3. Is there a senior-management endorsed “Supply Management Governance Council”?
  4. Is every major sourcing process conducted with a cross-functional team that includes at least one member of Supply Management from cradle-to-grave?
  5. Does Supply Management actively manage its own organizational structure?
  6. Is Supply Management involved in the early stages of NPD (New Product Development)?
  7. Does Supply Management (co-) manage the sourcing of non-traditional and indirect spend?
  8. Is e-Commerce and e-Procurement actively used for day-to-day requisitioning and purchasing to maximize productivity, efficiency, and Spend Under Management (SUM)?
  9. Supply Management has (co-) responsibility for contract management, logistics, and inventory.
  10. The easy to use, end-to-end eProcurement system and corresponding compulsory-use policy has made Maverick purchasing a thing of the past (as the only time anything is bought off contract is in the event of an emergency or supply disruption and appropriate Supply Management authorization has been granted, keeping the Spend Under Management).
  11. Communication with major suppliers is paperless, from the first e-signature on the contract through to the final payment authorization.
  12. Collaborative relationships exist with all major suppliers and Supply Management is actively involved in Supplier Performance Management and Knowledge Transfer of best, and lean, practices to strategic suppliers.
  13. Supply Management buys globally from best-of-breed supplies and considers Total Value Management when deciding whether to home-source, near-source, or out-source.
  14. Supply Management has aggressive sustainability and corporate social responsibility goals in place.
  15. Communication is clear and concise across the board.

The Global Sourceror’s Song


I am the very model of a modern Global Sourceror,
With information analytic, subjective, and objector,
I know the rights of charter, and I quote the rates historical
From Vancouver to Singapore, in order categorical;

I’m very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the lin’r and quadratical,
About scenarios optimized, I’m teeming with a lot o’ news,
With many baseline costs for the choice of the blue ocean routes.

With many baseline costs for the choice of the blue ocean routes
With many baseline costs for the choice of the blue ocean routes
With many baseline costs for the choice of the blue ocean routes


I’m very good at direct and indirect spend analysis
I know the HTS codes of products electronicalculous
In short, in matters analytic, subjective, and objector
I am the very model of a modern global sourceror

In short, in matters analytic, subjective, and objector
He is the very model of a modern global sourceror


I know our mythic history, Free Markets and Markets B2E
I answer hard acrostics, I’ve a pretty taste for oddities
I quote in elegiacs all the crimes of the major analysts
In auctions I can floor peculiarities ridiculous

I can tell undoubted RFPs from RFQs from RFIs
I know the croaking chorus from the mouths of the vendor sales guys
Then I can hum a fugue of which I’ve heard the vendor’s pitch before
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense we abhor

And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense we abhor
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense we abhor
And whistle all the airs from that infernal nonsense we abhor


Then I can write a shipping bill in Babylonic cuneiform
And tell you ev’ry detail of Custom’s CBP import form
In short, in matters analytic, subjective, and objector
I am the very model of a modern global sourceror

In short, in matters analytic, subjective, and objector
He is the very model of a modern global sourceror


In fact, when I know what is meant by “Dutch Auction” and “Japanese”
When I can tell at sight a credit letter from a guarantee
When such affairs as sorties and surprises I’m more wary at
And when I know precisely what is meant by “commissariat”

When I have learnt what process has been made in modern procurement
When I know more of tactics than a novice in an internment
In short, when I’ve a smattering of arbitration strategy
You’ll say a better Global Sourcerer had never sat a gee

You’ll say a better Global Sourcerer had never sat a gee
You’ll say a better Global Sourcerer had never sat a gee
You’ll say a better Global Sourcerer had never sat a gee


For my global sourcing knowledge, though I’m plucky and adventury
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century
But still, in matters analytic, subjective, and objector
I am the very model of a modern Global Sourceror

But still, in matters analytic, subjective, and objector
He is the very model of a modern Global Sourceror!

For Lasting Results, Follow the Procurement Leaders … (Repost)

… but be sure to focus on the right characteristics first.


I posted this a year ago today, and I’m reposting because nothing has changed. This is still the right methodology, and, more importantly, the message has not sunk in yet at a large number of companies. The first three steps are absolute.

Reviewing a recent summary of A.T. Kearney’s 2011 “Assessment of Excellence in Procurement Study” over on the A.T. Kearney site on why you should “Follow the Procurement Leaders” that described seven ways to lasting results, I couldn’t help but notice that they had all the right suggestions, but in reverse order. Starting from the bottom of the list, and working our way up, we see that the suggestions will transform your organization from an average performer to best in class.

  1. Win the “War for Talent”.
    This is the first T necessary for supply chain success and the most critical one. No supply chain function can be happen without someone in place to plan, manage, and execute it — and for any function to be planned, managed, and executed in an optimal manner, you need world-class talent.
  2. Adopt Technology.
    This is the second T necessary for supply chain success and the next most critical one. Once you have found the right talent to take your supply chain to the next level, you need to enable your talent with the right technology to make them as efficient and effective as possible.
  3. Transition to Category Strategies.
    As the article notes leading procurement organizations use more advanced toolkits — systematically employing more than twice as many methods as the followers — to tailor their approaches to each situation. That’s why leading e-Sourcing / e-Procurement providers are now offering platforms with category templates / workflow management capabilities to allow platform customization to each organizational category and support the third T of supply chain success.
  4. Use Supplier Relationship Management.
    Suppliers are key to supply chain success, and leaders manage the relationship to get the most out of it. They use suppliers to improve innovation and growth, monitor compliance and risk management, and improve capabilities across the supply chain.
  5. Manage Risk Systematically.
    Leaders use risk-impact analysis, financial risk management, and disaster planning as ways to protect against, and mitigate the effects, of disruptions — unlike the risk management “followers” that constitute 80% of companies that are a single natural disaster away from a major supply disruption.
  6. Contribute to Top and Bottom Lines.
    It’s not just about cost reduction, but about value generation. Good Supply Management doesn’t just stop at cost reduction, but goes onto demand reduction, component innovation, product innovation, and even market innovation. This is done by managing risks, managing supplier relations, applying category strategies, using technology, and using all of the skills your talent possesses.
  7. Align with the Business.
    Leading supply management organizations support the business strategy. And while this is the most important goal from the viewpoint of Supply Management, as the goal is to increase the image of Supply Management in the organization, this can not be accomplished until all of the pieces of the puzzle, described in the first six steps, are in place.

Why is Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) Under-delivering?

It’s a good question, and it needs some good answers. As a result, I was drawn to Bill Young’s two-part blog (Part I and Part II) over on Procurement Leaders earlier this month as I have some ideas, but wanted to see if they matched up with the insights of others.

Most of his observations were correct, namely that:

  • There is a confusion over what SRM is.
    It’s not just software or handholding – as Mr. Young points out, it involves organizational structure; governance; supplier engagement model; joint activities; value measurement; systematic collaboration; and technology/systems.
  • Current incentives focus on short term results.
    Most organizations are laser-focussed on the mythical goal of “savings” and immediate payback, not long-term value generation.
  • Lack of clear accountability and who takes the blame when something goes wrong.
    So no one is incentivized to do anything beyond what they are minimally required to do.
  • Legacy attitudes and behaviours.
    Not only do many old-school negotiators believe that every deal is a win/lose zero-sum game, but organizations that need SRM most are broken and (still) believe that “coordination and relationship management” is not part of a well-oiled organizational machine (that should work like an automotive assembly line).
  • Suppliers’ unwillingness to challenge customers.
    They don’t want to speak up in case the extra air movement will rock the boat.

However, the observation that I believe is closest to the truth is the one pointed out by readers who noted the

  • Skills gap.
    There is a huge gap between the skills required for normal category management, and the competencies needed for complex, ongoing, internal and external relationships. (This is because, as SI has repeatedly pointed out, the average Procurement professional does not get nearly enough training.)

As far as SI concerned, the primary reason that SRM under-delivers is that it is not embedded in a category management lifecycle. Because it is misunderstood and because there is a huge skills gap in the average Procurement professional where SRM is concerned, it tends to be pigeonholed into the “procurement” part of the category lifecycle (which is phase 6 of the 9 phase strategic category management lifecycle), driven off of a balanced scorecard, and managed by a SPM (supplier performance management) solution. However, as pointed out in Part II of the strategic category management post, formal supplier management starts as soon as the contract is signed and doesn’t stop until the last unit of product is recovered or returned. And formal supplier management is only part of Supplier Relationship Management which starts with the first reach out to a potential supplier in the supplier identification phase and continues until a contract award phase where the supplier fails to win any additional business from you (and you brief the supplier as to why in an exit briefing).

In short, it’s underdelivering because it’s under-applied, undermanaged, and mis-understood.

Need a Truck? BuyTruckLoad.com!

Believe it or not, counter to every nerve in your body, you should be buying a portion of your freight business on the spot market! Take a minute, get those gasps out, and SI will explain why.

Simply put, for the vast majority of product-based companies, freight is the one category that is inefficient from a contract perspective. At first thought, this might not make sense as efficiencies and cost savings typically come from good planning, but this is precisely why you can often get significantly better rates spot-buying your freight than contracting it.

To see this, you have to look at the situation from your carrier’s viewpoint. It is most efficient, and most profitable, when it’s trucks are kept full. Your contracts keep your carrier’s trucks full at most half the time. Specifically, your contracts keep your carrier’s trucks full from point A to point B. Maybe it has a few pallets to take back to point A, but that doesn’t fill the truck, and it’s only efficient (from your point of view) if the carrier waits until the truck is full to take the pallets back. In order to maximize efficiency and profitability, the carrier needs business from point B back to point A. The chances of the carrier getting precisely this business when competing against 70,000 other carriers and only getting called to the bid on one of every 10,000 or 20,000 freight contracts being tendered are probably 40,000 to 1. Not good odds.

Plus, even if the carrier’s lucky enough to get business that geographically fills, say, 80% of the route from B back to A, chances are the timing doesn’t line up right and the truck ends up sitting idle for a few days on a regular basis, which also takes away from efficiency or profitability.

Because of this, and because of the fact that the carriers have to hedge their bets when you ask them to contract three, six, and twelve months out, you end up paying, on average 14%-15% more for contracted freight than you do freight purchased efficiently on the spot market (if you know what you are doing or use a good freight brokerage). In particular, even if you’ve done a great job on your contract, you’re probably paying, on average, over $1,400 for a load that you could get for $1,300 or less on the spot market.

That’s why Sean Devine and John Labrie, each with over a decade of transportation sourcing and optimization (at CombineNet, Emptoris, and Con-Way), built BuyTruckload.com — the first automated truckload brokerage service. This service, built on an advanced real-time truckload optimization model, takes your requirements, searches their database of over 70,000 carriers (and current spot market prices) across the United States (each with an average of 4 trucks), and gets you a quote that is, on average, $100 less than you would expect to get otherwise (buying yourself with a limited selection of carriers), and $200 less than you would if you were contracting months in advance (based on an average truckload price of $1,400+ and an average savings of 15%).

It’s quick, simple, and almost obvious — and that’s what makes it so useful. As a buyer, all you have to do is define the acceptable authority types (contract, common, broker), the acceptable / required equipment types (bus, van, flatbed, refrigerated, dry van, etc. — they allow for 16 different types), the cargo authorities (private, property, etc.), the safety alerts you will (not) accept (unsafe driving, driver fitness, etc.), the required number of power units, and where you need the trucks and the system will identify the relevant carriers. Define your shipping requirements, and it will generate binding quotes. It’s that simple, and if you use the right mix of contract and spot-buy freight, it could save you a lot of money.

Please note that the right mix is key! Even if the 15% savings are there for you, it’s probably not a good idea to put all of your freight on the spot market. You need to know you have enough reserved freight for critical products (at critical times) and carriers need to know they have enough baseline business to sustain themselves. the doctor‘s gut is that you probably want a 2 to 1 ratio between contract and spot market, on average. In some industries and/or categories, this ratio will be higher (because, let’s face it, you don’t care if you get those office supplies a day late), and in others it will be lower. But a 2 to 1 ratio is probably a good starting point.