Procurement People of Tomorrow: placement pack

Tuesday (Day 2)

Supplier Relations

Supplier Relations Challenge

This challenge aims to demonstrate supplier management best practices, and the use of corrective action plans to resolve issues and reach target outcomes.

Most organisations use supplier partners to help them succeed. It's essential that suppliers are managed to ensure they work collaboratively to deliver value for money and maximise performance, as agreed in their contract. In this way, we can avoid or mitigate issues which could lead to target outcomes not being met.

Your Brief

You work for a growing IT company with green credentials providing computer hardware to customers across Scotland. They have recently acquired additional space to support their office expansion and want to revamp the office to support their staff health and wellbeing and encourage innovation.

Rosie Wellbeing, a workplace wellbeing design company, has been engaged to source furnishings which are environmentally friendly and value for money, for three main areas:

• A recreation room for employees to relax or re-energise to improve their wellbeing
• Employee workspaces which support collaborative and healthy working
• Collaboration spaces which energise, inspire and encourage innovation

Unfortunately, there have been some issues recently as a few deliveries have been late and progress has been slower than expected. The account manager for Rosie Wellbeing is apologetic and says that their resources have been a little stretched, as there has been some supply chain and logistics issues due to unprecedented demand.

You have been asked to recommend a corrective action plan to better manage your supplier (Rosie Wellbeing) and resolve the situation. It's important that you demonstrate the basis for your recommendations, evidence can include extracts from supplier management best practice or case studies.

You will need to present your Corrective Action Plan in a 5-minute presentation to your placement host, explaining how you approached the challenge and your recommendations. Additionally, you must also submit 2 key lessons learned by completing the challenge.

Earn bonus points by providing information on the key responsibilities of a Supplier Relationship Manager role within client organisations.

Stage 1 – Planning

Time to brainstorm!

Write down whatever comes to mind when you think of 'good supplier management'.

Perhaps...

They care about customer satisfaction.

Regular updates / meetings.

Open, honest discussion.

Delivers their promises.

Clear expectations and measures, quick to resolve issues.

Cooperation and collaboration.

There is no single correct answer to this so capture whatever you think.

Consider what steps you would want to take, and any measures needed to resolve the issues and better manage the supplier going forward.

High Level Plan

• What potential steps, practices or behaviours have you identified?
• How much info will you need to gather?
• How will you decide & prioritise what you need to do?
• What gaps exist in your knowledge?
• Where can you find information & resources?
• When will you start to create your Corrective Action Plan or capture Lessons Learned?

Taking your notes, use them to sketch out a rough outline plan of activities, their likely order & possible owners. Don't forget to note any dependencies you may have on each other.

Stage 2 – Plan in Action

You're now ready to start the challenge. Use your plan to manage activities.

Research supplier management best practices, gather information on how organisations use them. Remember to ensure you address the points identified in the brief.

What options are available?
When are they used?
How difficult or easy are they to introduce?
Why is it important that the steps and measures you propose are used?
When are they most effective?
Who has exemplified these best practices and what did it achieve?
How could a Supplier Relationship Manager assist?

Plan your approach to gather your ideas and recommendations for your Corrective Action Plan and lessons learned for your presentation.

What points will you need to cover?
Do you know how to use any software needed?
What supporting info, graphics or props might you use?

Learn how to use any tools you need and design the layout 'look and feel' of your finished output.

Gather & collate information on your proposed corrective action plan and recommendations.

Step 3 – Reach Your Case Study Findings

Review the information gathered to determine what messages and content you want to include in the Corrective Action Plan, including any graphics.

What makes supplier management best practice?
How could the actions and practices address the challenge?
What pros and cons did you discover about them?
How could a Supplier Relationship Manager make a difference?
What conclusions did you reach about their use in organisations?
What makes your Corrective Action Plan recommendations compelling?

Give evidence why they best meet the criteria & explain your key findings, including the role and responsibilities of a Supplier Relationship Manager.

Use any images or props which make your findings easier to understand.

Create your Corrective Action Plan presentation – Remember to include your approach to the challenge as well as your Corrective Action Plan recommendations.

Test your presentation with an audience - Is your proposal for resolution and supplier management concise and easy to understand? Was it impactful?

Stage 4

Capture 2 key learnings to share with your placement host. What went well? What would you do differently? What was the most important thing you learned?

Stage 5

Submit or present your Corrective Action Plan to your placement host making sure to include your 2 key lessons learned.