Category Archives: Best Practices

You Admit You Might Be a Dumb Company. How do you avoid the fork in the road that leads to the Graveyard? Part 1

Good for you! Admitting you might be a dumb company is the most important thing to do on the yellow brick road to enlightenment.

So what do you do next? In short you:

  1. start by admitting to every mistake you are making and do something about it,
  2. look for opportunities to improve that are logical next steps, and
  3. never, ever forget the timeless basics.

Today, we’ll start with describing what you do when you identify, and admit to, one of the first five mistakes we chronicled in our re-introduction to our “dumb company” series and want to do something better. Next week, we’ll tackle the remainder of the mistakes before we move on to our eight-part series (each of which is worth much more than a piece of eight) on avoiding the graveyard if you are a dead company walking. After that, we’ll provide even more advice if you just want to be a smart company in two two-part series! In other words, SI has a lot of great helpful content lined up for you if you are a vendor that wants to successfully sail the choppy seas ahead (and not end up as another wreck on the ocean floor).

1) No More Perks

Unless you’re going crazy on perks, just leave them alone.

If a few are a bit crazy, reign them in to reasonable levels.

If they still eat up too much of your budget, find something else to cut. Start with the deadweight (and begin your search in the [micro] management suite). A useless or salary or two will go a long way to maintaining morale (and if you cut deadweight, morale will even lift).

2) No More Tech/SaaS

First, do a process time audit and figure out where your people are spending too much time on tasks that can be semi-automated to a significant extent.

Then, identify the appropriate solution to the problem and a set of potential SaaS tools to fill that solution affordably.

Then, Get SaaSy and do a SaaS audit, find the 33%+ overspend, cut it, and use that savings to get the SaaS your organization needs to be more productive and receive a return of at least $3 for every $1 spend on SaaS.

Finally, if your cloud costs are significant, Be Cloud Aware and do a cloud audit, tracking down what applications, or parts of your application, are chewing up the most CPU time. Then reign that in. Ongoing cloud costs add up faster than you realize!

3) NPD Can Wait (Sell What We Have)

Maybe heaven can wait, but hell waits for no man, and neither do the competition you don’t yet know about. No matter how good, or how bad, times are, your product must ALWAYS be improving. The minute you stop, the sales will stop as the customers will peg you as a dead company walking if you are not actively developing your product.

Segment all features into must, should and nice to have from a target customer perspective and make sure you are constantly working on the “must have” features, getting a decent number of the “should have” features that aren’t too time consuming to add into the plan, and prioritize any “nice to haves” that can swing a deal in your favour. If you have to slow down a bit because you can’t expand the team, that’s fine, just as long as you don’t stop.

Remember to keep dependencies in mind and structure development so that dependencies are always done first, to minimize release cycles.

4) No More Travel

Before you approve travel,

  1. first do an audit of all travel reasons the company has seen. Then,
  2. identify the direct and indirect ROI on past travel. Finally,
    • determine where in a marketing cycle travel actually results in actual, qualified leads
    • determine where in a sales cycle travel actually results in a selection or sale
    • determine which conferences/workshops/training events helped product management or developers

Then deny all travel that does not fall into one of those buckets.

Next, for travel that does, look at the cost vs. the projected return and how it compares to the most successful travel of the past. If a conference only results in 10 real leads, and it will cost 100K, but there’s another conference likely to result in 5 real leads that will only cost 25K, deny the first request and approve the second.

If $$$’s are tight, then restrict all travel to

  • small, focussed, cost-effective events that will generate actual leads or customer insights
  • on-sites likely to close the deal
  • low cost workshops where your product managers / developers will definitely improve their skills

5) Cut 10% Across the Board

Do a full budget review (keeping the dumb mistakes in mind) and cut the unnecessary expenses. They are MUCH higher than you think (because, when times are good, or you raise too much money, you don’t watch the small stuff and your unnecessary tail spend is just as bad as your clients).

Then, do a performance analysis (and blind peer review) of the teams across the department, especially the management teams, and cut the real deadweight.

Chances are, done right, there’s more than 10% that can be safely cut with no impact (whereas 10% across the board will damage morale to the point that the best talent might leave at a time they are the most critical).

Be sure to keep reading SI as Part 2 posts next week!

Want Procurement Technology Success? This is Your Anthem!

Show Don’t Tell by Rush

From now on, when you are contacted by a vendor, the first thing(s) you do is

  • refuse to listen to (or read) any marketing material, especially if they use any buzzwords (and, in fact, point out the minute they say one that you will hang up on them if they say it, or a prepared list of buzzwords you keep beside your phone, because it’s all Hogwash)
  • refuse to review any “case studies” until you see the solution in action, and even then refuse them unless they contain hard numbers based on standard metrics that you can compute yourself pre- and post-implementation (a client stating they saw “significant” savings is NOT a case study, it’s hearsay)
  • refuse their pre-recorded / scripted 30 minute intro demo until they tell you, in plain English, what problems their platform solves and why they think it will help you (and maybe even ensure the contract they will ask you to sign is also in plain English)

Once the vendor tells you:

  • what procurement problems and pain points their platform solves
  • how it does it (no techno-babble bullcr@p, plain English; no mention of AI, and definitely no mention of Gen-AI [which is bad for Procurement] because if it uses real ML then they can tell you what algorithms they use, and what confidence you can have based on what level of data is available)
  • and why the vendor is the right vendor to deliver the solution to you

Then you agree to a demo that covers the specific pain points you want addressed, provided that, if you like what you see, you can take it for a test drive. Nothing stops a true multi-tenant SaaS solution provider from spinning up a sandbox instance for you to play with, at zero cost, as it should literally be the flick of a switch (or letting you run one real sourcing event at a trial cost). The only significant charge should be if you want to see it in action on your data, in which case you should be prepared to pay a standard daily consulting rate to load your data (but, to be honest, you shouldn’t do this until you are sure the vendor is going to be the finalist, or the runner up, in your selection process as a final step, since a test drive on standard dummy data will illuminate most of the functionality supported).

You need to see a platform in action to understand if you can, and will, use it to solve your problems.

So, if it isn’t already, your new mantra for procurement software solution providers is Show Don’t Tell!

Questions to Ask Your Optimization Vendor

This is an update of a post that originally ran way back in 2007. Yes, two, double-o seven. Seventeen years ago. It is being updated because

  1. it needs a re-posting
    (as very few of you will find it that deep in the archives)
  2. most of the vendors originally mentioned are gone

However, if you read, and remember, the original, you’ll realize that, like my article where the doctor goes mental on optimization myths (which was recently shared on LinkedIn), it doesn’t need much updating and what was written seventeen years ago is still valid to this day. (When you write to inform vs. to create meaningless buzz, it really does stand the test of time.) Let’s begin.

Not all optimization vendors are equal … and, more importantly, not all vendors that claim to have strategic sourcing decision optimization (SSDO) actually have it (since the underlying algorithms and model needs to meet a stringent set of requirements to be true SSDO), with some systems, to this day, barely qualifying as decision support. Thus, since the need for optimization is as desperate as it has ever been with costs again skyrocketing, risks rising rapidly, carbon control being critical, and supply assurance necessary for sustained operations, it’s time to make sure you know how to qualify a potential provider. This means you need to not only understand the basics of what SSDO does (see the archives), but also how to distinguish between the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different offerings, as well as how much strength you really need.

You need to buy optimization at the strength, and usability level, that you need — especially if the vendor is pricing it according to its power, or computational requirement. And while there is no such thing as too much, the reality is that a 95% solution is often more than enough as the entire point is understanding the optimal solution against each dimension (cost, risk, carbon), the cost of compromise between the trade-offs, and the cost of going with a preferred, versus calculated, vendor award. And doing this for EVERY sourcing event. Once you factor in enough discounts and constraints, it’s almost impossible to calculate the best award in a spreadsheet, and the insight of what you could be spending, versus what you are, how low your risks could be, versus what they are, and how much you could alter your carbon footprint, vs what your footprint is today, is invaluable. Even if you never select a recommended solution, the key is understanding how good your (preferred) award actually is.

Before we get to the (starting) question list, it should be pointed out that it’s almost impossible to cover every question, as many of the questions you should be asking depend on the answers you receive to your first few questions, but the question list below is a good starting point.

1. Does the product meet the four criteria for strategic sourcing decision optimization?

  • Sound & Complete Mathematical Foundations : such as MILP solutions based on simplex, branch and bound, and interior point algorithms as many simulation, heuristic, and “AI” algorithms DO NOT guarantee analysis of every possible solution (sub)space given enough time, and, thus, are not “complete” in mathematical terms (and if they incorporate Gen-AI, they aren’t even “sound” in that they may not even compute an award that satisfies the constraints!)
  • True Cost Modelling :
    that supports tiered bids, discounts, and fixed cost components — the model must be capable of supporting all of the bid types being collected, as well as the cost breakdowns
  • Sophisticated Constraint Analysis : at a minimum, the model must be able to reasonably support generic and flexible constraints in each of the following four categories
    • Capacity / Limit: allowing an award of 200K units to a supplier who can only supply 100K units does not make for a valid model
    • Basic Allocation: you should be able to specify that a supplier receinves a certain amount of the business, and that business is split between two or more suppliers in feasible percentage ranges
    • Risk Mitigation: you should be able to force multiple suppliers, geographies, lanes, etc. to mitigate those risks without specifying specific suppliers, geographies, lanes, etc. to take advantage of the full power of decision optimization
    • Qualitative: A good model considers quality, defect rates, waste, on-time delivery, etc., and must support qualitative factors and minimum and average scores across the award
  • What-If? Capability : The strength of decision optimization lies in what-if analysis. Keep reading.

2. Does it support the creation of multiple what-if scenarios per event?

Furthermore, does it simplify the creation of these scenarios? The true power of decision optimization does not lie in the model solution, but the ability to create different models that represent different eventualities (as this will allow you to hone in on a robust and realistic solution), to create different models off of a base model plus or minus one or more constraints (as this will help you figure out how much a business rule or network design constraint costs you), and to create models under different pricing scenarios (to find out what would happen if preferred suppliers decreased prices or increased supply availability).

3. How fast is it for different average model sizes?

And can performance be tweaked? Optimization takes what it takes. That being said, if one solution takes an average of 1 hour for an average scenario, and another solution takes 10 minutes, all things being equal, if you have compressed sourcing cycles, the 10 minute solution might be better. Emphasis on “might”. This is only true if the faster solution is of the same quality – some models, and some solvers, sacrifice quality and accuracy for speed. The best solution will let you trade off “tolerance” and accuracy for speed. Sometimes it’s easy to get within 1% or 2% in a few minutes, even though that last 1% or 2% could take hours. On a model with low total savings potential, getting within 1% may be enough. And when trying to hone in on the right what-if scenario, it’s nice to get within 1% quickly and then allow the right scenario to run to completion over lunch (or if its a huge model, over night) after you’ve quickly analyzed half-a-dozen scenarios and settled on your preferred scenario. Thus, tweaking ability is very important.

4. Is it “true” real-time or “near” real-time?

Thanks to significant advances in processor and hardware performance as well as off-the-shelf optimizer technology (like IBM ILog’s CPlex), it’s now possible to rapidly re-build and re-solve even very large models using off-the-shelf modeling languages in seconds, allowing for e-auction tools that keep the model relatively moderate in comparison, and presolve with seed bids (current prices, market prices, last quotes), to incorporate decision optimization in real-time by simply updating a few parameters and re-solving the model every (few) parameter(s) update (depending on model-size) on a high-powered multi- core server with an appropriately configured and optimized solver (which can spin off copies and have each processor work on a different subspace). However, if the approach the product takes is to rebuild and resolve the model on every update, that’s not real-time, that’s near real time, and the slowdown could be significant for large models. (To clarify further, real-time optimization requires the ability to merge model construction and model solution in such a way that a new bid can be introduced as a parameter change that does not require the optimizer to rebuild the sparse model matrix and start the solution process over from scratch.)

5. Can you describe two or three scenarios you have encountered where you could not model the situation exactly?

And, more importantly, how did you work around the issue, and how accurate was the final result. The real world is messy, compared to models that are clean, only so much data is available, and math can only model as much as the minds who created the model could conceive. As a result, no optimization model can handle every real-world scenario 100% accurately. If a vendor representative says so, he’s either lying through his teeth or not competent enough to be selling the product. (Note that: I’ll have our optimization expert get back to you on that is a good answer from an average sales representative.) This is about the only way to get a decent idea of how appropriate the tool is for you. If the scenarios were complex and the constraints based on business rules you hardly ever, or never, use, then the solution is probably okay for you. If the scenarios were simple and the constraints based on business rules you use all the time, it’s probably not the tool for you.

6. Would you be willing to demo your solution to, and answer questions from, our consultant who understands both our needs and decision optimization technology?

Let’s face it -– just like the right decision optimization tool can deliver huge savings multiples on your investment (10X or more), the wrong tool will simply represent a six (or seven) figure cost that yields little return. If you can’t tell the difference, and there’s no shame in admitting you can’t if you’ve never used this type of technology before, then you should bring in a consultant who can to help you select the right technology, and ensure you are appropriately trained on it, until you are self sufficient and saving an average of 10% or more per project put through the tool.

7. Can we do a pilot project at-cost (or gain-share) before committing to a long term license?

If you like what you hear, but are still unsure, or are having problems getting the budget approved, a pilot is often the way to go! (Note that I did not use the word “free”!) If you’re not willing to sign a license, given the sophistication of this technology and the amount of effort the provider is going to have to allocate to support you through the pilot and ensure you are successful, you need to be willing to pay for services at a rate that is sufficient to cover the provider’s cost for the pilot -– especially considering that many of the companies that offer affordable optimization offerings are only able to do so because they keep their costs and overheads down.

Advice For Dealing With The PROCUREMENT STINK from Leading Consultants!

Last week, the doctor asked fellow niche/independent consultants as to how we can help to dispel the PROCUREMENT STINK which is permeating the space as a result of poor choices, bad information, and sometimes bad actors, which include the reasons we described in that article as well as many more.

Why? Because it’s going to take a collective effort among analysts, consultants, and vendors to dispel the stink permeating the Procurement space, and no one on his or her own will have all the solutions. As expected, some of the greats chimed in with their thoughts and ideas and these thoughts and ideas need to be given center stage, so this is what we’re going to do today!

James Meads

Clarity and transparency on your business model is key, especially if you have revenue streams from solution providers.

As Patrick Van Osta echoed in the comments, the uphill path to recovery, I feel, is for consultants to reclaim the position of sole trusted advisor, and there’s no way we’re ever going to be trusted advisors if we are not clear and transparent in our operations and goals. If we’re hiding our intentions, or upsides, how will the client know whether or not our goals actually align with theirs?

Joël Collin-Demers

I’m 100% on-board with the need for transparency and taking decisions based on what’s best for the client long term. Your job is to make yourself redundant as soon as possible!

In Procurement, there’s always another project. ALWAYS. You don’t have to milk one for life, with your help and guidance, you can open the client’s eyes as to not only how much there is to do, but how much they can do better, for a great ROI, with your help. Just like there’s well over 25,000 (or 35,000) species of fish in the sea, there are tens of thousands of unique aspects to Procurement in a modern enterprise. And just like you have to know where to fish, what hook to use, and what bait to use to catch a type of fish, you need to know the equivalents for each category, methodology, and process.

Jon W. Hansen

Practitioners stop looking at technology as the “silver bullet” solution but instead focus on doing the real and hard work while Solution providers stop selling shiny paper and “falling in love” with your own technology. … and us consultants have to help the practitioners do the work, understand what they need, and steer clear of the vendor with the shiny new tech (that doesn’t actually do anything [more than cheaper, proven tech]).

Paul Martyn

Consultancies (and their clients) need to Provide performance based compensation with uniqueness. For example, provide specialist consultants with compensation that includes equity. In short, align compensation to customer value (revenue growth and retention). Because, right now, most of the good consultants that can generate the ROI a client should expect are not incentivized to do well on point-based projects (like an Affordable RFP), but instead are incentivized to work on, and sell, long-term “solution” oriented consulting that lines the firm’s (and not the clients’) pocketbook (i.e. keep doing the fishing vs. teaching the client). As a result, most of the good consultants move out of the roles they are needed in to the roles they are incentivized to take.

Vinnie Mirchandani

The web lulled a number of procurement (and IT) folks into expecting vendor, negotiation etc intelligence for cheap, if not free. Vendors are not afraid to spend on sales and marketing. Procurement needs to adopt a similar mindset to even the game.

The best things in life may be free, but the best things in business are not. (As the Arrogant Worms pointed out over three decades ago, you get NOTHING FOR NOTHING!) And if you don’t have the right tools that enable the right processes powered by the right intelligence, you’re not going to win the game. Remember that all of the best sports teams use high-tech sports tech backed by science and data analytics to help their athletes reach peak condition. Raw talent only gets you in the game. You need the right training to win, or, at least, the right guidance and tech to enable you as you learn.

There’s a lot of STINK out there now, but if you follow this advice, you’ll go a long way to removing it. After all, you can’t solve everything with a pressure washer.